EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Republican candidate for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District Brandon Herrera and controversial guest Kyle Rittenhouse visited El Paso on Monday, May 6, to rally support for Herrera’s campaign in a runoff race.
Herrera is running against incumbent U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, for the Republican nomination in District 23.
Gonzales’ far-flung district stretches from San Antonio to East El Paso.
The runoff election is May 28.
Kyle Rittenhouse listens as the attorneys and the judge talk about jury instructions at the Kenosha County Courthouse. Rittenhouse was accused of shooting three demonstrators, killing two of them, during a night of unrest that erupted in Kenosha after a police officer shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back while being arrested in August 2020. Rittenhouse, from Antioch, Illinois, was 17 at the time of the shooting and armed with a semi-automatic rifle. He faced counts of felony homicide and felony attempted homicide. (Photo by Sean Krajacic-Pool/Getty Images)
Rittenhouse was acquitted of killing two people at a protest in Wisconsin back in 2020.
Since Rittenhouse’s move to Texas, he’s become involved in Texas politics while appearing with conservative candidates like Herrera.
At Monday night’s event, the venue wouldn’t let KTSM inside to film, and Herrera’s campaign said he wouldn’t give interviews, only adding that they plan to block walk and hand out yard signs on Saturday in the El Paso region.
KTSM reached out to Gonzales’ team regarding Herrera’s stop in El Paso and they issued the following statement:
“Brandon Herrera continues to disqualify himself. First, he makes fun of veteran suicide. Now he says Trump will lose the election. What will he say next? Meanwhile, Tony Gonzales endorsed President Trump on day one, has the support of both Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick due to his strong stance on securing the border and delivering for Texans.”
Monday’s event had a change in location from the American Legion in East El Paso to Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q.
Although Herrera and Rittenhouse were scheduled to speak at 6:30 p.m., however, started at a later time.
