Republican candidate Brandon Herrera and controversial guest Kyle Rittenhouse made a visit to El Paso on Monday, May 6. Their purpose was to rally support for Herrera’s campaign in a runoff race for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.
Herrera is currently in a race against the incumbent U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, for the Republican nomination in District 23.
Gonzales’ expansive district spans from San Antonio to East El Paso.
The runoff election will be held on May 28.
Rittenhouse faced charges for the deaths of two individuals during a protest in Wisconsin in 2020. However, he was ultimately acquitted of the charges.
After relocating to Texas, Rittenhouse has actively participated in the state’s political landscape, often joining forces with conservative candidates such as Herrera.
During Monday night’s event, KTSM was not allowed to enter the venue for filming purposes. Herrera’s campaign declined to give any interviews, but mentioned their intention to engage in grassroots campaigning and distribute yard signs in the El Paso region on Saturday.
KTSM contacted Gonzales’ team for comment on Herrera’s visit to El Paso, and they provided the following statement:
“Brandon Herrera’s actions continue to discredit him. After his disrespectful comments mocking veteran suicide, he now goes on to predict Trump’s defeat in the upcoming election. One can only wonder what offensive statement he will make next. In contrast, Tony Gonzales wasted no time in endorsing President Trump from the very beginning. His unwavering commitment to border security and delivering results for the people of Texas has earned him the support of both Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.”
The venue for Monday’s event was changed from the American Legion Post 36 near the airport to Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q in Far East El Paso.
Herrera and Rittenhouse were supposed to give their speeches at 6:30 p.m., but they actually started a bit later than scheduled.
