
TX-23 Republican nominee?
Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleYouTuber
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyTrump-aligned Republican
Age30 years old (Nov 20, 1995)
GenderMale
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LocationTexas
BackgroundYouTuber
EducationCampbell University (pre-law studies; did not complete degree)
Notable personal detailsBrandon Joseph Herrera is an American YouTuber and firearms manufacturer known online as “The AK Guy.” He studied pre-law at Campbell University before leaving school to focus on firearms manufacturing and media work. He has run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas’s 23rd congressional district, including a 2024 primary challenge and a 2026 campaign in which he became the Republican nominee after incumbent Tony Gonzales withdrew following the March 3, 2026 primary.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
The candidate supports cutting taxes, spending, and regulation and has taken a pledge against new taxes. He also says he will sponsor the REINS Act to require congressional approval of major federal regulations and tie spending restraint to fighting inflation.
Healthcare
The campaign platform emphasizes improving veterans’ healthcare—including expanding Tricare—and assigns staff to help veterans access care. The campaign broadly advocates limiting federal power and returning decisions to states but does not state clear positions on major national health-policy proposals such as Medicare for All, a public option, ACA expansion, Medicaid funding, or privatization. Overall, public campaign materials provide specific veteran-focused proposals but are otherwise vague on general healthcare policy direction.
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Immigration & Border
Supports completion of the border wall, reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” policy, and ending what he describes as abuse of the asylum system; will oppose spending bills that do not fund those priorities.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate is committed to defending life at every stage, opposes all government funding for abortion, and pledges to sponsor the Infant Born Alive Act to protect infants who survive attempted abortions.
Public Safety & Guns
Brandon Herrera opposes new federal firearms restrictions, opposes red flag laws, and supports national concealed-carry reciprocity and expanded funding for firearm training. His campaign emphasizes defending the Second Amendment and blocking legislation that would impose additional gun controls.
News
Brandon Herrera is now expected to be the Republican nominee in Texas’s 23rd Congressional District after Tony Gonzales withdrew and then announced he will resign from Congress. Herrera had already won the GOP primary, and his path to the general election was strengthened by Donald Trump’s endorsement. He has also faced criticism over controversial past statements and a video showing him with a copy of Mein Kampf, which he says was taken out of context.
Polls

Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262024
2026
LatestCycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements





