Democrat Katy Padilla Stout defeated Republican Brandon Herrera in Texas’s 23rd Congressional District, flipping the seat held by Republicans since 2016. The Associated Press called the race for Stout at 1:05 a.m. on Wednesday, with Stout receiving 51.7% of the vote to Herrera’s 44.5%.
The 23rd District, which stretches from northwest San Antonio to El Paso and includes Uvalde, has historically leaned Republican. The seat became vacant in April when former Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales resigned amid an expulsion vote following his admission of an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. Gonzales had won the district by 23 points in 2024 and was considered a moderate Republican vote.
Herrera, a pro-gun YouTube personality with 4 million subscribers, secured the Republican nomination despite controversial remarks surfacing during his 2024 primary challenge against Gonzales. These included jokes about Nazis and veteran suicides, which were widely shared online. Herrera’s campaign later received backing from Republican leadership, though his past statements remained a focal point of the race.
The district has experienced frequent partisan shifts, flipping between Democrats and Republicans four times between 2006 and 2020. Recent redistricting efforts have made the district more conservative, though it remains a swing district in some analyses. The race unfolded as Democrats in Texas secured major victories in the Senate race, governor’s mansion, and several House seats.
Border policy emerged as a key issue in the district, with the Department of Homeland Security initiating border wall construction in Big Bend National Park. The district’s proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border and its inclusion of Uvalde have heightened attention on immigration and public safety concerns in recent years.