Overview
- Brandon Herrera became the presumptive Republican nominee after Rep. Tony Gonzales admitted an affair with a former aide and left the race as the House Ethics Committee examines his conduct.
- President Trump, who had earlier supported Gonzales, switched course and declared his “Complete and Total Endorsement” of Herrera on Truth Social.
- Critics highlight Herrera’s past videos and podcast remarks referencing Nazi-era material and his ownership of Mein Kampf; the Republican Jewish Coalition says it will not back him, while his campaign denies antisemitism.
- Democrat Katy Padilla Stout secured her party’s nomination and says the GOP upheaval gives her a chance in the vast border district that runs from San Antonio toward El Paso.
- Analysts note Herrera’s sizable fundraising and online reach, though recent primary turnout showed Democrats outpacing Republicans and Stout receiving more votes than Herrera.