The wife of presidential candidate John Kerry told supporters in the Rio Grande Valley on Sunday that her husband would seek out all other options before going to war.
Ten servicemen from the region have died in Iraq.
Teresa Heinz Kerry said her husband, as president, would be able to approach the families of slain soldiers and say, quote, "'I did everything I could to prevent this, I'm sorry.' "
The (McAllen) Monitor reported in its Monday editions that she spoke for about an hour and was interrupted frequently by applause and cheering.
Earlier, Heinz Kerry attended a $1,000-a-head private fund-raiser at the McAllen home of developer Alonzo Cantu. It was not immediately clear how much the event raised.
Bush campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Miller said Sunday that the Democratic nominee is out of step with Texas.
