In one of the costliest primaries in the country, in Texas’ largest and perhaps most competitive congressional district, Rep. Tony Gonzales just barely fended off YouTuber and guns rights activist Brandon Herrera in the GOP runoff Tuesday.
As the early votes rolled in, it looked like Gonzales might cruise to an easy victory. But as the Election Day ballots were tallied, it became clear this race would be incredibly tight. With 95% of the vote in, Herrera was winning the Election Day ballots by more than 10 points, 56% to 44%. But Gonzales’ early vote totals staved off the upset victory.
While Gonzales claimed victory around 10 p.m. Central, the race tightened as the night went on. With almost all the votes counted — and about a 400-vote difference between Gonzales and Herrera — the Associated Press called the race for Gonzales just after midnight in Texas. The election appeared close enough, however, that Herrera could call for a recount.