The Aporia
Rowe, R. (2026, November 4). Katy Padilla Stout beats Brandon Herrera in Texas congressional race. Washington Examiner. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/4771495/brandon-herrera-katy-padilla-stout-texas-congressional-race-results/
Rowe, Rena. “Katy Padilla Stout beats Brandon Herrera in Texas congressional race.” Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/4771495/brandon-herrera-katy-padilla-stout-texas-congressional-race-results/.
Rowe, Rena. “Katy Padilla Stout beats Brandon Herrera in Texas congressional race.” Washington Examiner, November 4, 2026. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/4771495/brandon-herrera-katy-padilla-stout-texas-congressional-race-results/.
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Katy Padilla Stout, a Democrat, defeated Brandon Herrera, a Republican backed by President Donald Trump, in Texas's 23rd Congressional District race on November 7, 2026. The Associated Press called the race for Stout at 1:05 a.m., with Stout receiving 51.7% of the vote compared to Herrera’s 44.5%. The district spans from northwest San Antonio to El Paso and has historically leaned Republican.
The race was notably contentious following Tony Gonzales' resignation in March due to a scandal involving a sexual relationship with a former staff member who died by suicide in 2025, leading the House Ethics Committee to investigate. This prompted a runoff election cancellation, setting up the current contest between Stout and Herrera, with Herrera’s controversial past remarks also under scrutiny.
Democrats have highlighted comments on his YouTube channel that included Nazi references and his description of a firearm as the “original ghetto blaster.”
The race has also drawn scrutiny over Herrera’s past remarks.