Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) is facing the heat from his hard-right Republican colleagues over comments he made this weekend, fueling more endorsements for his primary opponents.
The Texas Republican, who is facing a runoff in the GOP primary against Brandon Herrera next month, included Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Bob Good (R-VA) among the “scumbags” he said he serves with in Congress during an appearance on CNN on Sunday. Both Gaetz and Good have endorsed Herrera, and since those comments, more of Gonzales’s colleagues reportedly expected to back his primary challenger.
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) called Gonzales’s comments “such BS and so pathetic” and offered his endorsement to Herrera on Sunday.
This is such BS and so pathetic, especially from a fellow veteran. To insinuate that other members are klansmen because they call you out for being a complete and total Rhino. Wasn’t one of our core values Honor @TonyGonzales4TX? Hey Brandon, add me to your list of endorsements.… https://t.co/dWSCYcO2pR
— Eli Crane (@EliCrane_CEO) April 21, 2024
“This is such BS and so pathetic, especially from a fellow veteran. To insinuate that other members are klansmen because they call you out for being a complete and total Rhino. Wasn’t one of our core values Honor @TonyGonzales4TX? Hey Brandon, add me to your list of endorsements. We will never save the country with guys like Tony,” he posted on X.
Punchbowl News reported that Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) is also planning on endorsing Herrera, while Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) is “considering” doing so as well.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Gonzales, a two-term congressman who has been critical of hard-line Republicans, is set to have House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) appear at a fundraiser alongside him in Texas, according to the outlet.
Johnson has pushed for Republicans not to endorse primary challengers to GOP incumbents, but that request has been largely ignored — especially in Gonzales and Good’s respective primaries.
