Pro-gun advocate and firearm manufacturer Brandon Herrera has announced a run for Congress, seeking to unseat a Texas Republican who has taken anti-gun positions.
Herrera, a gun manufacturer who runs a YouTube channel with 2.85 million subscribers, announced that he would challenge incumbent Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) for his congressional seat.
Calling Gonzales an “establishment Republican” and “weak politician,” Herrera slammed the representative, saying he “voted for gun control” and “voted our rights away.”
“I love this country,” he said. “I have a deep love for the values that this country was founded on. The ideas of freedom, of self-governance.”
“Sadly, those ideals are under attack and they have been for a long time,” Herrera explained.
“A large number of the politicians that liberty-loving Americans have turned to to defend these ideals have failed. Several Republicans who swore to defend gun rights, to protect borders, and just, in general, putting the rights and interests of the American people above their own, turned their back on these values,” he added.
“They voted time and time again against the constitutionally guaranteed rights of their constituents,” the challenger claimed. “We have to remind them that if they fail to uphold their oath to defend the Constitution that we will primary them, we will campaign against them, and we will win.”
Herrera committed to supporting pro-gun policies and to “do everything in my authority to weaken the ATF and I will challenge ATF Director Dettelbach every time he so much as thinks about going after law-abiding gun owners.”
The video of Herrera detailing his reasons for challenging Gonzales has already received more than 1 million views. His social media post sharing the news of his announcement has garnered more than 2 million views.
Since announcing his run for Congress, Herrera has been endorsed by figures such as Kyle Rittenhouse, Sebastian Gorka, Documenting Austin Streets and Homeless, Bianca Gracia, and others.
Other people who are competing in the GOP primary for Gonzales’ seat include former ICE agent Victor Avila and county chairwoman Julie Clark.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce previously endorsed the incumbent, with Executive Director John Gonzales saying, “Rep. Tony Gonzales has a strong record of leadership and delivering results for the constituents of southwest Texas.
“Congressman Gonzales understands the challenges and economic needs facing the workforce and families in Texas, and he is committed to pro-growth policies and free enterprise solutions that will move our nation forward.”
Rep. Gonzales had not reacted to Herrera’s entry into the race as of press time.