Democrat Katy Padilla Stout flips Texas congressional seat

Democrat Katy Padilla Stout defeated Republican candidate Brandon Herrera on Tuesday to win Texas's 23rd Congressional District, the Washington Examiner reported. The victory flipped the seat, following the resignation of former Republican Representative Tony Gonzales. The Associated Press called the race for Padilla Stout at 1:05 a.m., according to the Washington Examiner. [1]

Padilla Stout secured 51.7% of the vote compared to 44.5% for Herrera, the Washington Examiner reported. The 23rd Congressional District covers a region stretching from northwest San Antonio to El Paso, an area that has leaned Republican in recent elections. [1]

Padilla Stout is a San Antonio native who previously worked as an elementary school teacher in the Northside Independent School District before entering legal practice in 2016. Herrera is a firearms manufacturer who operates a business producing Kalashnikov-style rifles and hosts a public YouTube channel focused on gun policy and politics. [7][9][10]

The congressional race took place during the elections on November 3, 2026, when voters in Texas chose representatives for thirty-eight U.S. House seats. As FTMQ News reported earlier, campaign filings from earlier in the year showed Padilla Stout reported spending thousands of dollars on campaign expenditures, including items for food and drinks. [6][11]