‘AK Guy’ says he’s ‘not done fighting’ after runoff loss to Tony Gonzales

Brandon Herrera said in a Thursday social media post that he’s “not done fighting” after his nail-biting loss to incumbent U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales in the GOP runoff for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.

Known as the “AK Guy” for his YouTube videos where he reviews guns, Herrera came within nearly 400 votes of unseating Gonzales. That showing surprised many political observers, considering Gonzales’ camp outspent him nearly 10-1.

On Thursday, Herrera said he’s not done with politics.

“This isn’t the end. I’m not done fighting,” Herrera tweeted “There are plenty of other great Americans who need backup, and lots of places to make a difference. I’m not backing down, this is just the end of particular chapter. I’m not going anywhere.”

Herrera’s campaign was mired in controversy, much centered around comments in his YouTube clips. Those include making a joke about veteran suicides, marching to a Nazi propaganda song and even making fun of Donald Trump’s teenage son Barron.

While the right flank of the Republican Party didn’t appear to be bothered, mainstream GOP politicians including Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick opted to endorse Gonzales instead.

Despite Herrera’s appeal to the far right, as of press time, it appears he hasn’t taken a page from the Trump playbook and trashed the election results.

Instead, Herrera said he doesn’t plan to request a recount, which he’s well within his right to do, unless he’s “presented with evidence that there is a reasonable chance a recount will change the outcome.”

That brought some displeasure from his fanbase, however.

“I don’t know why people don’t demand a recount or audit,” one user tweeted in response to his statement. “I guess we’re all stuck with Tony. Forever.”

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This article appears in May 1-14, 2024.