Brandon Herrera, the pro-gun YouTube influencer who ran a close Republican primary contest against South Texas U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, has closed down the leadership PAC that helped fund his campaign.
Herrera’s campaign filed paperwork Tuesday notifying the Federal Election Commission that it’s terminating a PAC called Because Real Americans Never Doubt Our Nation (BRANDON PAC). The filing lists the entity as having just over $8,500 cash on hand at the time of the filing and net operating expenditures of slightly more than $7,200.
The timing appears unusual since Herrera — a hardline conservative known as the “AK Guy” to online followers — three weeks ago requested a recount in the election, which he lost by just 407 votes. “I’ve accepted the results, however I felt I owed it to the voters and supporters all asking for one just to ensure all I’s were dotted and T’s crossed,” Herrera wrote in a tweet.
Should Herrera win the recount, he would be the Republican nominee to represent Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, which stretches from a portion of San Antonio to include 29 South Texas Counties. If he had a chance eking out a win via recount, the candidate would presumably want a PAC to fund a general election campaign against the Democratic nominee, civil engineer Santos Limon.
The Current tried to contact Herrera’s campaign via a number listed on its website. That number appears to no longer be in service.
The termination of the PAC also comes after the FEC opened a pair of inquiries into the funding of Herrera’s campaign. Herrera, a political novice, targeted Gonzales after the Texas GOP censured the moderate incumbent for supporting a bipartisan gun reform bill and legislation defending gay marriage.
On June 2, the commission sent four letters to Herrera campaign treasurer Thomas Datwyler — a longtime GOP political operative with reported ties to expelled New York Congressman George Santos — asking for more information on $50,000 Herrera reportedly loaned his own campaign in December.
Roughly a week later, the FEC sent a separate inquiry to the campaign asking it to provide more info on the employment and occupation status of its donors.
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This article appears in Jun 12-25, 2024.
