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Updated at 10:46 p.m.:
The GOP incumbent, Tony Gonzales, is headed to a runoff. With 100% of the vote counted, Gonzales had 46% of the vote. Coming in second is Brandon Herrera with 23% of the vote. In the Democratic Primary, S. Limon was leading Lee Bausinger by 16% of the vote with 50% of the vote counted.
Gonzales released the following statement regarding the upcoming runoff:
I am truly grateful for all those who continue to show trust in me. Tonight we won all 29 counties in the 23rd district of Texas. Next we’ll do it again, only with a larger margin. Representing a district larger than 30 states is as tough as it gets. Texas-23 and I have much in common as we’ve been abandoned to fend for ourselves. Fighting against the odds is nothing new. My entire life has been a struggle. Spending time as a kid in the San Antonio battered women’s shelter with my mother, to living on my own at fificen years old, to joining the Navy not knowing how to swim, to multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, to earning the rank of Master Chief, to showing up when chaos has struck our district I have always been a fighter. My fight will always continue. Never back down, never surrender. The people of TX-23 deserve someone who will run to the fire when things get tough. That is what I have done and it is what I will continue to do to ensure the border is secure, our veterans are taken care of, law enforcement has the support they need, and working families have the opportunity to get ahead.
Herrera released the following statement regarding the upcoming runoff:
Last night, the people of Texas’ 23rd Congressional District sent a message: they’re done with Tony Gonzales and his betrayal of our shared conservative values.
Tony sabotaged fellow Republicans’ border reform bill and called it “anti-American” and “not Christian.” When Tony’s own district was being overrun with illegals, every other Republican member of Congress backed Texas Governor Abbott in his fight to secure the border except Tony. Instead, Tony voted to send $40 billion taxpayer dollars to defend Ukraine’s border.
Tony voted for Joe Biden’s vaccine mandates and to fund a $400 million federal vaccine tracking database that would enable the government to deny employment and benefits to individuals who refused experimental vaccines.
He voted to keep our soldiers in Syria where they are dying for no national interest. He voted to authorize warrantless wiretaps of American citizens. He voted for taxpayer-funded abortions and to allow government persecution of religious organizations that support traditional marriage.
He voted with Democrats for the January 6th Commission to prosecute and imprison President Trump and allowed himself to be a prop in Nikki Haley’s campaign ads.
And when it was time to hold the leadership of local law enforcement accountable for the tragedy in Uvalde, he instead blamed law-abiding citizens and supported Joe Biden’s gun control bill that funds unconstitutional Red Flag laws and takes 2nd Amendment rights away from veterans.
These are all the reasons that a clear majority of Republicans in the district voted against him yesterday, but his response is to call these voters crazy and say he needs to “drown” them.
Last night, he found out we’re a little more buoyant than he thought.
I want to thank the many volunteers and donors to my campaign who made this outcome possible. I also want to thank the other candidates in this race who helped keep Tony under 50% and have, through this campaign, become my friends.
And I’d also like to thank the voters who sent me to this run-off for giving me your vote. I will work hard to earn your trust every day as your Congressman and, unlike Tony, I will never take your vote for granted.
Now is the time for the Republicans of southwest Texas to unify behind my campaign as we advance to the run-off on May 28 and finish the fight!
Votes
%
Tony Gonzales*(R)
Victor Avila(R)
Julie Clark(R)
Brandon Herrera(R)
Frank Lopez Jr.(R)
Votes
%
Lee Bausinger(D)
S. Limon(D)
Background:
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales is facing four challengers in the Republican Primary for US House District 23 in Texas.
Gonzales has served as a congressman for the district, which stretches along the border from El Paso to San Antonio, since he was elected in 2020.
The Republican congressman, a Navy veteran from San Antonio, was censured by his own party in 2023 over positions he took that split with the party.
Among them includes a vote to reject a border security proposal by fellow Texas Republican Chip Roy, and the support of a bill defending same-sex marriage protections and a bipartisan gun law passed in response to the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde.
His opponents include Julie Clark, a businesswoman who chaired the Medina County Republican Party when it introduced the resolution to censure Gonzales.
After the censure, Gonzales got support from the National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arm for House Republicans.
Other challengers include Victor Avila, a retired ICE special agent, Francisco Lopez, a retired US Border Patrol agent, and Brandon Herrera, who describes himself as a social media personality and Second Amendment activist.
Many of the opponents have criticized Gonzales’ handling of the border crisis.
The winner of the Republican primary will have a Democratic challenger in the November General Election.
Lee Bausinger, a Navy veteran and professional engineer, and Santos Limon, a civil engineer and small business owner are running for the Democratic primary nomination.