Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-TX) has come under fire from fellow Republicans after making inflammatory comments about his primary opponent Brandon Herrera and other conservative colleagues during a recent appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Gonzalez — who is facing a tough primary runoff against Herrera on May 28 — called his challenger a “neo-Nazi” and compared Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Bob Good (R-VA) who have endorsed Herrera to members of the Ku Klux Klan.
My failure of a Congressman @TonyGonzales4TX went on CNN this morning calling @mattgaetz and @RepBobGood Klansmen, and me a “known neo-Nazi.”
This is the death spiral ladies and gentlemen.
He has to cry to his liberal friends about me, because Republicans won’t listen anymore. pic.twitter.com/Wal5m3NclP
— Brandon Herrera (@TheAKGuy) April 21, 2024
“Bob Good endorsed my opponent, a known neo-Nazi” Gonzalez told host Dana Bash. “These people used to walk around with white hoods at night. Now they’re walking around with white hoods in the daytime.”
Herrera, a Second Amendment advocate and YouTube personality known as “The AK Guy,” quickly responded to the attacks on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. “This is the death spiral ladies and gentlemen. He has to cry to his liberal friends about me because Republicans won’t listen anymore” Herrera wrote.
Gaetz also fired back at Gonzalez accusing him of “laundering lies on CNN” and reaffirming his support for Herrera. Gonzalez had brought up previously debunked allegations against Gaetz during the interview that Bash noted had been investigated by the federal government without leading to any charges.
Today Mike Johnson is campaigning for Tony Gonzales.
What does this make you think about Tony Gonzales?
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) April 23, 2024
The Texas congressman’s comments have drawn criticism from other conservative lawmakers as well. Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) announced his endorsement of Herrera on X ,stating, “Hey Brandon add me to your list of endorsements. We will never save the country with guys like Tony.”
The accusations — which seem more like the attacks of a leftist on X than the political arguments of a Republican congressman — come as he faces increasing backlash from within his own party over his somewhat liberal policy positions, including support for increased immigration and opposition to border security measures. The Texas Republican Party censured Gonzalez last year for his out-of-touch positions.
Despite the controversy, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced that he would attend a fundraiser for Gonzalez immediately after the CNN interview. This move has puzzled many conservatives who see it as an endorsement of his divisive rhetoric at a time when the party is seeking unity ahead of crucial congressional elections.
The primary runoff between Gonzalez and Herrera is shaping up to be a referendum not only on Gonzalez’s political ideology but also on his inflammatory comments and the future direction of the Texas GOP. With prominent conservatives rallying behind Herrera the race has become a battleground for competing visions within the party.
