President Trump Endorses Brandon Herrera in Texas’ 23rd District, following Tony Gonzales’ withdrawal
SOMERSET, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 26: Republican congressional candidate Brandon Herrera speaks during a campaign rally at the Constantino S Pizza restaurant on February 26, 2026 in Somerset, Texas. Herrera is campaigning against incumbent congressman Tony
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed Republican congressional candidate Brandon Herrera in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, days after incumbent U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales dropped out of the race amid a personal scandal.
With Gonzales’ withdrawal from the 2026 runoff, Herrera, the gun manufacturer and YouTube personality known as "The AK Guy", is set to become the Republican nominee for November’s general election.
Trump backs Herrera for Texas 23rd District
What we know:
In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said he was backing "America First Patriot, Brandon Herrera," who is seeking to represent Texas' 23rd Congressional District, that stretches from a slice of San Antonio across West and South Texas along the border.
"Brandon Herrera has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Representative from Texas’ 23rd Congressional District — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!" Trump wrote.
What they're saying:
Trump said Herrera would work to grow the economy, cut taxes and regulations, expand domestic energy production, secure the border, support law enforcement and the military, safeguard elections and protect Second Amendment rights.
He described Herrera as strongly supported by "Highly Respected MAGA Warriors in Texas" and Republicans in the U.S. House.
Path to the 2026 November election
What's next:
While Herrera now appears to have a clear path to the GOP nomination, the November general election could prove competitive.
Recent primary turnout figures showed Democratic voters outpacing Republicans in the district, and Democratic nominee Katy Padilla Stout received 7,000 more votes than Herrera.
Katy Padilla Stout
Trump’s backing is likely to energize Herrera’s base in a district that has remained red in recent voting cycles.
Trump switches endorsement
The backstory:
The endorsement also marks a notable turn in the race.
In February, a lawyer representing Trump and his leadership political action committee sent Herrera a cease-and-desist letter accusing his campaign of using Trump’s image in a misleading mailer.
At the time, Trump had endorsed Rep. Tony Gonzales in the competitive Republican primary.
Tony Gonzales withdraws amid personal scandal
Less than a week ago, Gonzales announced he would not seek reelection following national attention from a scandal over an affair that gained national attention.
In a statement released by Gonzales announcing that he would not seek reelection in 2026, he said that after "deep reflection" and with the support of his family, he had decided not to run again but pledged to serve out the remainder of his term.
Tony Gonzales drops out of race for House reelection in Texas
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican from a congressional district rooted in San Antonio, has dropped out of a runoff race for his reelection after a scandal over an affair gained national attention.
A day earlier, Gonzales acknowledged on a podcast that he had "made a mistake" and taken "full responsibility" for a relationship with a former aide.
House GOP leaders subsequently called on him to exit the race despite Herrera narrowly losing to Gonzales in a 2024 Republican primary runoff by fewer than 400 votes.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the social media accounts of Donald Trump and Brandon Herrera. Additional information was provided from previous FOX Local news coverage.