Nazi jokes and ‘cum trophies’: meet the Texas gunfluencer who could soon represent Uvalde
Brandon Herrera, a controversial gun rights influencer known for extreme rhetoric, is the leading candidate for Texas's 23rd congressional district in the upcoming midterm elections. His campaign has drawn significant attention due to his past statements defending the use of firearms in mass shootings, including the 2019 El Paso Walmart attack. Democrats are targeting this seat, hoping that Herrera's polarizing views will make him vulnerable to defeat in a district heavily affected by recent mass shootings.
- ▪Brandon Herrera is a YouTuber with over 4 million subscribers who is currently the frontrunner for Texas's 23rd congressional district.
- ▪Heraera gained notoriety for a 2019 video in which he suggested victims of the El Paso Walmart shooting should be grateful that guns were used rather than other weapons.
- ▪The district he seeks to represent includes Uvalde, the site of a 2022 school shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers.
- ▪Gun safety advocates, such as Shannon Watts of Moms Demand Action, have criticized Herrera's rhetoric as a cynical ploy to normalize firearms in mass killings.
- ▪Democrats are attempting to flip the Republican-held seat, viewing Herrera's extreme stance on gun rights as a potential weakness in the general election.
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| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/23/brandon-herrera-ulvade-congress-race |
| Publication time | Wed, 23 Sep 2026 11:00:47 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-23T11:19:30.769Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Brandon Herrera speaks during a campaign rally at the Constantino S Pizza restaurant on 26 February 2026 in Somerset, Texas. Photograph: Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenBrandon Herrera speaks during a campaign rally at the Constantino S Pizza restaurant on 26 February 2026 in Somerset, Texas. Photograph: Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesUS politicsNazi jokes and ‘cum trophies’: meet the Texas gunfluencer who could soon represent UvaldeBrandon Herrera, a YouTuber known for making outrageous pro-gun statements, is the frontrunner to represent a district devastated by mass shootingsEd PilkingtonWed 23 Sep 2026 07.00 EDTLast modified on Wed 23 Sep 2026 07.01 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThe video begins with Brandon Herrera staring intently into the camera.
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