Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, walks down the House steps after votes on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Gonzales was endorsed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbot, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Actor Matthew McConaughey, a Texas native, recorded robocalls in support of Gonzales.
Herrera was backed by controversial Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Rep. Bob Good of Florida, another far-right House member and the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
Gonzales won over 45% of the vote in the March primary, with Herrera a distant second at 25%. However, since neither grabbed a majority of the vote, under Texas law, they both advanced to a one-on-one runoff.
Veteran Texas-based Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser noted that Herrera branded the showdown as "an establishment versus far-right, populist race," and that Gonzales was well aware "that he needs to protect his right flank"
However, he added that "Tony has a pretty big presence in the conservative eco ecosystem. He’s on Fox News a lot, talking about the border."
Outside groups shelled out over $5 million in ad spending in the race, according to AdImpact, a leading ad tracking firm.
Among the groups helping Gonzales were the Republican Jewish Coalition Victory Fund, the Hispanic Leadership Alliance, and the American Action Network, which is aligned with the House GOP leadership.
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