Governor Abbott Throws Weight Behind Texas Rep. Amidst Party Infighting

By Greg Moriarty | Thursday, 25 April 2024 10:15 PM
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Governor Abbott Throws Weight Behind Texas Rep. Amidst Party Infighting
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, has publicly endorsed Representative Tony Gonzales, also a Republican from Texas, amidst a wave of criticism from within their own party.

Gonzales recently sparked controversy by referring to two far-right members of the Republican caucus as "scumbags."

Over the weekend, Gonzales launched an attack on Representatives Matt Gaetz of Florida and Bob Good of Virginia. He accused the Freedom Caucus members of behaving like Ku Klux Klan members, stating they "walk around with white hoods." He also alluded to allegations against Gaetz involving minors and drug parties, charges which Gaetz has consistently denied. Gonzales further criticized Good for endorsing his political rival, whom Gonzales labeled a "neo-Nazi."

In a show of support for Gonzales on Wednesday, Governor Abbott declared him the optimal choice to continue representing Texas in Congress. However, Abbott did not directly comment on the backlash Gonzales received for his "scumbags" remark.

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In a statement, Abbott praised Gonzales, saying, "Tony Gonzales is a fierce champion for bolstering border security measures in Congress." He urged Texans in Congressional District 23 to support Gonzales in his bid for re-election in the upcoming May primary runoff election.

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Gonzales is set to face off against Brandon Herrera, a gun rights advocate and social media influencer, in a primary runoff election. This follows a March primary election where neither candidate secured a majority of votes. Both Gaetz and Good have thrown their support behind Herrera in this race.

In the initial primary, Gonzales secured 45 percent of the vote, compared to Herrera's 25 percent. The decisive runoff election is scheduled for May 28.

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