The Texas GOP Is Going After One of Its Own

The state party sent out a mailer supporting a controversial primary challenger to Rep. Tony Gonzales.

Tony Gonzales
Rep. Tony Gonzales is facing Brandon Herrera in a runoff in May. Andrew Harnik/AP

The Texas GOP is helping a challenger in his bid to unseat a Republican incumbent, going against its usual rule of staying out of local primaries.

The reasoning: The state GOP previously voted to censure the incumbent in question, Rep. Tony Gonzales, who is in a runoff against gun advocate and YouTuber Brandon Herrera.

The state party paid for a mailer to residents in Congressional District 23 urging them to back Herrera in the May 28 primary runoff. The mailer said that Herrera was the “Conservative that Texans can trust.”