Texas GOP Congressional Candidate Faces Backlash Over Sexist and Fat-Shaming Remarks
Republican nominee Brandon Herrera, backed by Donald Trump, has been exposed for repeatedly mocking women’s weight and intelligence in vulgar online videos.
Brandon Herrera, a 30-year-old YouTube personality known as “The AK Guy,” is the Republican nominee for Texas’ 23rd congressional district, a seat previously held by Tony Gonzales. A review uncovered a series of videos in which Herrera ridiculed feminists by likening them to whales, nuclear weapons and other offensive stereotypes, and made sexually explicit insults toward a gun-safety activist and her children. He has dismissed the remarks as jokes tied to his online persona, yet the content has drawn criticism from Democrats who view it as extremist.
Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have continued to endorse Herrera, while DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene announced financial support for his Democratic opponent, Katy Padilla Stout. The controversy adds a new dynamic to a race that could shift the district’s partisan balance.
Why it matters
The candidate's vulgar rhetoric raises questions about the standards of conduct expected from elected officials and could influence a competitive congressional race.
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