By Lee Williams
SAF Investigative Journalism Project
Special to Liberty Park Press
Brandon Herrera, the GOP’s official candidate for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, may know more about guns and gun rights than any member of Congress.
Herrera, who’s known as “The AK Guy,” has millions of followers on X, YouTube, and Instagram, who tune him in regularly for two reasons: He knows what he’s talking about and he’s entertaining as hell.
Perhaps President Donald J. Trump said it best in his recent endorsement:
“Today I am endorsing America First Patriot, Brandon Herrera, who is running to represent the wonderful people of Texas’ 23rd Congressional District. Brandon is strongly supported by many Highly Respected MAGA Warriors in Texas, and Republicans in the U.S. House. As your next Congressman, he will work tirelessly to advance our MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN Agenda. Brandon will fight hard to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Advance MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Safeguard our Elections, Champion School Choice, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Brave Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Brandon Herrera has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Representative from Texas’ 23rd Congressional District — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN,” President Trump posted on social media.
Recently, Herrera took some time answering questions about his life, candidacy and the Second Amendment.
Here’s the Q & A:
The AK Guy, gun dealer, constitutionalist, pro-gun advocate, political candidate—how do you describe yourself?
Herrera: “I’m a business owner who lives in my district who was unhappy with my congressman. I’ve been a constitutional advocate and activist for years now. This is very different, but it’s the same cause I’ve been doing for a very long time.”
How would you describe your firearms knowledge?
Herrera: “Fairly intimate. I’ve always been a firearms person. I’ve been a firearms manufacturer for well over 10 years now, specializing in the AK platform but providing a long list of other firearms and kit builds.
How did you get started as a Second Amendment expert?
Herrera: “It just took over. I’ve used my comedy to entertain, but as my platform grew, my voice became greater and I got the ability to speak about an incredibly important issue: The Second Amendment.”
Are you aware of any other federal elected official with greater firearm knowledge than you?
Herrera: “The only ones who might come close or maybe give me a run for my money are Pat Harrigan from North Carolina or Andrew Clyde from Georgia. They both owned or own FFLs and firearm manufacturing businesses.
Are you willing to instruct, teach or somehow guide other politicians about guns, gun rights?
Herrera: “I would love to whenever possible. I’d like to think I’d be a resource if there are any questions or technical issues, or if passing legislation that the majority of the Second Amendment crowd thinks is okay, but it could hurt our gun rights. I want pro-gun legislation to stay entirely pro-gun. I would also be willing to be a resource if anyone on either side of the aisle wants more information. A lot of the anti-gun sentiment usually comes from a lack of education.”
What is the worst thing anti-gunners don’t know?
Herrera: “There is a majority of Democrats—but a few Republicans too—who voted to enhance background checks where they thought it would stop firearm deaths. It’s completely misguided. Look at the bipartisan Safer Communities Act. It was a piece of Democratic legislation. It had Tony Gonzales, who I just replaced, and John Cornyn, who both fell into the trap of ‘common sense gun laws.’ There’s no common-sense thing in that bill that would have changed a thing that would have affected the outcome at Uvalde. They passed it to feel good, to make it look to their voters like they were doing something.”
Tell me your opinion about Patrick “Tate” Adamiak’s incarceration?
Herrera: “It’s f–king bulls–t.”
Did Adamiak do anything illegal?
Herrera: “It depends on what lens you use. According to the ATF, which is my functional problem with this, he possessed demilled parts kits, and no law has changed since they were imported. There was no change of law. They had been previously approved by the ATF, which led to this young service member’s incarceration.”
What do you think about Adamiak’s 20-year prison sentence?
Herrera: “I disagree with the NFA fundamentally in general, but playing the devil’s advocate, as unconstitutional as the law may be, to choose to throw the book at Tate is notorious even if he was a gang member. I’ve bought hundreds of these kits over the years. To throw the book at Tate was abhorrent—flat out abuse of the law.”
What was your reaction when you received President Trump’s endorsement?
Herrera: “Obviously, I’m very grateful to the President for the endorsement. I think now, while I may have some things I don’t see eye to eye on with leadership in the past, all of us have the same goal for November, to keep the Texas 23rd red.
Do you have any congressional committee interest?
Herrera: “We just had a couple meetings about this in particular. Tony (Gonzalez) was in an Appropriations seat. Tony got it as a freshman. There’s an open seat on that committee. Perhaps Judiciary as well as Veterans’ Affairs. Those are the three that come to the top of my head.”
Tell me about Texas’ 23rd Congressional District
Herrera: “It’s the biggest district in all of Texas. I can leave my house in San Antonio and drive west for seven hours. It’s the biggest border district in the entire country. It shares more border with Mexico than any other district. We really were Ground Zero for Biden’s border crisis. It’s very important for me and my district to make sure the border stays secure.”
Why did you take the “No New Taxes” pledge?
Herrera: “Because I believe the average American is radically overtaxed. Government is a terrible steward of our money. They’re not only stealing our money but stealing the value of our money.”
Tell me how you will defend our gun rights?
Herrera: “I think it’s a multi-level system—combined arms. There’s the federal level, of course. For states, some states are getting worse, but a few are getting better. The third element is the judiciary. That’s where we have the potential to get the most pressure done. The Supreme Court is only as good as the cases they take. There’s no excuse for them not to take these items. We came incredibly close to having suppressors and short-barreled rifles removed from the NFA. I never thought I’d see that in my lifetime.”
What have you found is the best way to communicate with potential voters?
Herrera: “I have my online audience, but a lot of it is going out and talking. I have 27 counties in my district, and I have visited all of them. You actually go out and talk to them. I rarely leave a room without having a good experience.”
How is your money doing?
Herrera: “I have a donation link, but unfortunately, because of the scandal Tony (Gonzalez) was in, while this is a safe Republican seat, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Democrats drop a few million to try to take it. So far, I’ve personally put in more than a half-million dollars.”
Has Trump’s election hurt gun dealers financially—has business slowed?
Herrera: “Unfortunately, a lot of times people slow down on their gun-buying when they’re not afraid of losing their rights. We saw panic buying under the Democrats. That’s scary. It’s good that we’re in a position where we’re not afraid of that, and it’s good we don’t have to worry about it. If gun dealers suffer, it’s temporary. I would prefer to have a slow buying season rather than a panic buy because rights are being stripped away from us.”
What are your takeaways on Tony Gonzalez’s failed candidacy?
Herrera: “Well, I didn’t originally run because I wanted to be in Congress. Frankly, I originally ran because I didn’t like Tony’s voting record. He was weak on the Second Amendment, but no one in the race could beat him. I assessed my ability to fundraise and whether I thought I could give it a good run. Last cycle, as a total newcomer, I took him to a runoff and lost by only 400 votes. He was hoping he could get better. He certainly didn’t. I’m just a business owner in the district, but I was able to rally the grassroots enough that we were able to take down a Goliath. That should be reassuring to everyone out there.”
How has the pushback been from the left?
Herrera: “It’s been hilarious. They’re like ‘look, this guy is a radical.’ They went hard for that right out of the gate. It hasn’t affected our numbers at all.”
What haven’t I asked you about?
Herrera: “The big this is that it’s important just to show up. We need to do a better job showing up. If every single gun owner showed up to every single election, we would have a supermajority. We need to rally our base and get out there. We also have a responsibility to write good legislation to do the job for the people who put us there. It’s a two-sided responsibility.”
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