Tony Gonzales faces 4 GOP primary challengers for Congressional District 23 (Texas)

Texas Public Radio ^ | 2/20/24 | David Martin Davies

[cotton1706]

Border security is tracking as a top issue for voters, according to the Texas Politics Project. And border protection is the top issue for the candidates running for the Republican nomination to represent the congressional district with the most border miles. District 23 covers more than 800 miles of the Texas Mexico border — including Eagle Pass, the border city that has become the frontline for Operation Lone Star.

Congressman Tony Gonzales, the Republican incumbent in the race, has been accused by his four primary opponents of not being tough enough on protecting the border and being a RINO.

At a recent forum organized by the Bexar County Republican Party with candidates seeking the GOP nomination for Congressional District 23, Gonzales was a no-show.

“We are very fortunate that we have almost 100% attendance here with our candidates that are running in CD 23,” said the Bexar County GOP Party Chair Jeff McManus.

“There's only one person missing, and unfortunately, he's been missing many times in many votes that have been taken on behalf of good constitutional conservatives. But I'm not going to mention his name,” he said.

It should be of little surprise that Gonzales skipped the event. The Texas Republican Party censured him in March and said he violated the party’s principles with his votes in support of marriage equality. After the Uvalde massacre, which is in the district, he voted in favor of a bipartisan firearms restrictions bill.

But when he spoke to reporters, Gonzales shrugged off the censure and the prospect that it would bring a cadre of primary challengers.

“Anybody who wishes to challenge me — it’s a fool's errand. I’ll run you into the deep end of the pool every single time and drown you. So, I welcome it,” he said.

[Mr. N. Wolfe]

Good video.