GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales and Texas House Speaker Caught in Middle of Party Feud During Runoffs

U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas is fighting to keep his position in a GOP primary runoff that has revealed divisions within the party.

Gonzales, who has had disagreements with some of his conservative colleagues in Washington and faced criticism from the state party, is up against Brandon Herrera, a gun-rights YouTube creator with over 3 million followers.

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan is also facing a challenging race that could lead to his removal from his influential position, potentially impacting the Republican-dominated Legislature. Phelan upset conservatives by leading the 2023 impeachment of state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was later acquitted in a Senate trial and sought retribution against those who voted against him.

Supporters of Gonzales warn that his loss could open the door for Democrats to flip a historically moderate district in the November elections, while a change in Texas House leadership might push the state’s policies further to the right.

Here are the key primary runoffs in Texas:

Gonzales represents a vast district that stretches about 800 miles along the Texas-Mexico border.

Although first elected in 2020 and re-elected easily in 2022, the state Republican Party sanctioned Gonzales due to his voting record, which showed an independent streak. This included backing for same-sex marriage protection and new gun safety laws following the 2022 Uvalde school shooting in his district that resulted in 21 fatalities.

Gonzales has also had conflicts with some far-right Republicans, referring to them as “scumbags.”

Herrera, a gun manufacturer and gun-rights advocate, came second with nearly 25% of the vote in a five-way primary in March, leading to the runoff against Gonzales, who secured 45%.

Gonzales has the backing of key Republicans who are hesitant to remove an incumbent from what is presumed to be a safe seat. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has shown support by attending a fundraiser for Gonzales, and Governor Greg Abbott has endorsed him. Herrera’s support from the far right includes a campaign appearance with Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.

The winner will face Democrat Santos Limon in November.

Only one other House incumbent has been defeated this year: Republican Rep. Jerry Carl of Alabama, who lost in a unique primary to Rep. Barry Moore after the state redrew congressional districts.

Speaker Phelan, despite overseeing a Republican majority that passed stringent anti-abortion laws, expanded gun rights, supported Abbott’s anti-immigration stance, and restricted LGBTQ+ rights, is now in a runoff with oil and gas consultant David Covey. Phelan placed second in the March primary, indicating a challenging Tuesday ahead. The runoff winner will not face a Democratic opponent in November.

A Phelan loss could trigger a fresh round of campaigning for the speakership, which is chosen from members of the state House.

Former President Donald Trump’s ex-spokeswoman, Katrina Pierson, is facing off against incumbent Justin Holland for his state House seat in the Dallas suburbs.

Holland, who was among House Republicans voting to impeach Paxton, also supported raising the age for purchasing assault rifles and opposed Abbott’s plan to divert public education funds to private schools.

Severe storms hitting the state on Tuesday have the potential to impact voting and results, particularly in Dallas and Houston. Many polling stations in these areas faced power outages due to the storms, causing disruptions in voting.

Despite the challenges, voting hours were extended in some counties to accommodate the affected voters.

Republicans are also determining candidates for the November election to run against Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar, who faces legal troubles following indictments on federal charges. Navy veteran Jay Furman and businessman Lazaro Garza are competing for the nomination to challenge Cuellar in South Texas.

In a separate race, Rosie Cuellar, Henry Cuellar’s sister, is in a runoff against Cecilia Castellano for a Democratic state House seat in South Texas.

The winner of these races will move on to the November election.