Trump backs Brandon Herrera in Texas race after Tony Gonzales dropped campaign amid affair scandal
Gonzales withdrew from his reelection race after admitting to an affair, as an ethics inquiry into his conduct was announced.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Daily Mail, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
The Daily Mail is an established publisher with an attributed reporter, but its tabloid style and limited visible detail about its reporting and correction practices temper confidence in its institutional standards.
- Source type — An established international newspaper, though known for tabloid presentation.
- Author attribution — A named reporter is credited.
- Editorial standards — The article attributes key statements, but its framing uses sensational language.
- Transparency — The text gives limited information about reporting methods or corrections practices.
The article includes direct quotations, a response from Herrera, and details about the ethics inquiry, but offers limited independent context and little response to the criticisms of Herrera.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article reports Trump's endorsement and Herrera's response, while also presenting criticism of Herrera and the circumstances of Gonzales's withdrawal. It does not provide much direct response from Herrera to the most pointed criticisms.
- Counterarguments presented — Trump's endorsement and Herrera's response appear alongside critical comments from Democrats.
- Loaded language — Some descriptions, including “extreme positions” and “bombshell,” add a judgmental tone.
- Source diversity — The article quotes Trump, Herrera and a Democratic candidate, but presents limited additional perspectives.
- Omitted context — The article gives little direct response from Herrera to the criticism of his past comments.
The report is mainly factual but uses critical descriptions of Herrera and foregrounds Democratic criticism of him. It also includes Trump's endorsement and Herrera's comments without adopting their claims as fact.
- Language tone — Terms such as “extreme positions” and “bombshell” give parts of the report a critical tone.
- Framing — The story pairs the endorsement with scrutiny of Herrera's past remarks and affiliations.
- Source selection — It includes Trump's endorsement and Herrera's reply, alongside criticism from Democrats, but little defense of Herrera on the critical claims.
Republished
Republished from Daily Mail. The relationship between the two publishers has not been determined.
449 stories · 54–55 · updated Oct 9, 2026
This is Daily Mail's own score, and this article is credited to Daily Mail. The host score in the Source Check is Daily Mail's.
Donald Trump endorsed Brandon Herrera in the Texas 23rd District race after incumbent Tony Gonzales withdrew following an affair scandal. Herrera had finished first in the primary, and a House Ethics Committee investigation into Gonzales was announced.
Trump announced his endorsement of Herrera in a Truth Social post, citing their agreement on issues including Second Amendment rights. Herrera thanked Trump and said he was ready to campaign against Democrats in November. Gonzales had withdrawn from the race after finishing behind Herrera in the primary, leaving Herrera without a Republican primary opponent.
Community verdict
22 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →Texas representative who withdrew from reelection
Republican candidate in Texas's 23rd Congressional District
Herrera's version of this story ↗President who endorsed Herrera
Trump's version of this story ↗Speaker of the House
Democratic nominee for Texas's 23rd Congressional District
Part of a bigger story
3 OUTLETSOutlets agree that Donald Trump endorsed Brandon Herrera for Texas's 23rd District after Tony Gonzales withdrew from the race. Center outlets pair the endorsement with scrutiny of Herrera's past remarks and affiliations. Right-leaning outlets focus on the campaign contest, giving Trump and Herrera prominent space with little opposing-candidate voice.
- ARTICLES
- 3
- OUTLETS
- 3
- AVG CRED
- 57
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