Republican · Texas's 23rd District · 2026
Brandon Herrera
Herrera is known online as The AK Guy, with a YouTube audience built around firearms videos.
Biography
Brandon Herrera is familiar to his online audience as The AK Guy, a firearms entrepreneur raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, who moved to Texas in 2020.1 His campaign biography describes prelaw studies before he turned his attention to building a firearms manufacturing business.2
His professional life combines that business with videos and commentary about guns, firearms rights and government regulation.2 His 2026 financial disclosure lists him as president of The AK Guy and Herrera Video Productions, with work producing YouTube videos, podcast content and sponsored ads.3 He brought his businesses and employees with him when he relocated to Texas, saying frustration with pandemic restrictions helped drive that decision.2
Herrera has not served in the military; his work with veterans includes serving as honorary chair of the Texas Veterans Coalition and holding veteran voter registration events.1 He first challenged Tony Gonzales in 2024, losing their Republican runoff, before becoming the 2026 nominee after Gonzales ended his reelection campaign.1
His platform supports national concealed carry reciprocity, congressional term limits and tighter border enforcement using technology, personnel and infrastructure.4 He opposes cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits and proposes two staff positions devoted to veterans' cases.4 He also supports using education funds for public, private or religious schooling, and opposes government funding for abortion.4 His opponents are Democrat Katy Padilla Stout and independent Ben Mendoza in a district extending from San Antonio toward El Paso.51
Record and controversies
Online videos and responses
In a 2022 review of a German MP40 firearm, Herrera used Nazi marching music and a Holocaust joke.6 At the video's end, he said such jokes were intended to get viewers to learn history rather than repeat it.6 A podcast clip that joked about suicide and honorary veteran status came from a veteran suicide prevention event; Herrera has characterized it as dark humor.1 A September 2026 CNN review documented degrading comments about women's bodies and sexually explicit insults directed at a gun safety advocate and her children; his campaign characterized the remarks as jokes.7
Financial disclosure corrections
Herrera acknowledged discrepancies in his financial disclosure in July 2026, with his campaign blaming the reporting error on his accountant.8 On September 25, he filed an amended 2025 report listing his firearms company in the $5 million to $25 million asset band and identifying bank accounts and other business holdings.9 He also filed a 2026 report that day, covering January 2025 through April 15, 2026, with additional holdings.3
Distinct campaign spending complaints
On May 21, 2026, Campaign Legal Center filed an FEC complaint alleging Herrera and affiliated committees concealed the ultimate recipients of more than $2.7 million in spending through Texas Strategy Group.10 His campaign called the complaint meritless and said the firm provides comprehensive consulting services and its reporting complies with federal law.11 A separate earlier case concerning joint fundraising payments was dismissed by a 5 to 0 FEC vote in January 2025.12 The later complaint is an allegation, and the records checked for this collection did not establish a ruling on it as of October 29.10