A sex scandal involving Representative Tony Gonzales has thrown a solidly Republican West Texas congressional seat into play for Democrats. The incumbent dropped his re-election bid after mounting pressure from House Republicans over an affair with a former aide who killed herself last year. Brandon Herrera, a hard-right gun rights YouTuber, became the default Republican nominee after forcing a runoff with Gonzales.

Democrats quickly seized on Herrera's online history, circulating clips of him shooting Nazi-era weapons and discussing his copy of "Mein Kampf." The videos, which show Herrera calling a Nazi submachine gun the "original ghetto blaster," have given Democrats new hope of flipping the Texas 23rd district. Democratic strategists are now considering dedicating resources to support their candidate, Katy Padilla Stout, a first-time candidate and former teacher.

Herrera, known online as the "AK Guy" with over four million YouTube subscribers, dismissed the criticism as "disingenuous" attacks. He argued the Nazi weapon video was part of a broader series testing various firearms and making jokes about shooting Nazis. Democrats hope Herrera's controversial online presence will make him a less formidable opponent than the more moderate Gonzales. The predominantly Hispanic, rural district has been represented by Republicans since 2015 but was redrawn last summer as part of Republican redistricting efforts.