Republican congressman Tony Gonzales is predicting his party will lose control of the Lower House after the November elections, saying Democrats are being more successful not only when it comes to fundraising, but also discussing people's concerns.
Speaking at the Texas Tribune Festival, Gonzales, who has frequently criticized his own party in the past years, said that the GOP will only have itself to blame if his prediction becomes true in November.
People "just want their lives to be better. They want to feel safe in their communities. They want their kids to feel safe in school. They want more money in their pockets. These are real issues (...) Yet the House Republicans continue to get in their own way, and I worry if we stay in this spot, we're gonna be in the minority," Gonzales detailed.
He went on to say that GOP lawmakers will likely "debate kind of failed policies before they even get going" once Congress reconvenes next week. He didn't go into specifics but seemed to make reference to political and culture war issues. Messaging from Democrats "is at a different level than where we're at," Gonzales said.
Asked for a reaction, Delanie Bomar, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee said: "We disagree." Justin Chermol, a counterpart for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Commitee said the statements further illustrate that Republicans are "out of touch" to "salvage their faltering majority."
Gonzales narrowly won his primary against gun rights YouTuber Brandon Herrera in Texas' 23rd Congressional District, the largest by land area, spanning 29 counties. It garnered national attention as it illustrated the struggle between the party's establishment and an even more conservative new guard.
Gonzáles was among just two House incumbents who managed to hold his seat, with six others losing their runoffs.
Among his most moderate views, Gonzales supported a gun-safety bill after the 2022 Uvalde School shooting— which happened in his district. His support of the bill brought major criticism from Herrera and other hard right politicians. In fact, it led to the state's Republican Party to formally censor him.
Herrera had the support of several national GOP figures like Matt Gaetz and Bob Good who had openly blasted Gonzáles for some of his votes. The Representative, in turn, called them "scumbags" and "klansmen." Gonzales, in turn, was supported by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who praised him for fighting for border security measures in Congress.
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