Incumbent District 23 Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales cruised to an easy victory over challenger Democrat Santos Limon with around 60% of the vote.
Gonzales was heavily favored to win the massive district, which stretches from northwest Bexar County to just outside El Paso. District 23 is primarily Latino and rural. It includes more than 800 miles of border territory with Mexico, and it includes the towns of Eagle Pass and Uvalde.
Gonzales garnered the endorsement of the San Antonio Express-News as a conservative, but he broke ranks on some issues, which earned him a censure by the Republican Party over his support of some gun restrictions and his support of gay marriage.
Limon, a newcomer to politics, is a civil engineer who has worked in the railroad industry. He has campaigned on fighting to support the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in Texas, and he also supports a high speed rail line between El Paso and San Antonio.
According to Ballotpedia, Limon’s campaign funds totaled to more than $111,000, compared to Gonzalez’s $5.6 million war chest.
Gonzales narrowly beat out primary challenger Brandon Herrera, a gun rights activist and social media influencer, winning by just a few hundred votes in the May primaries. Despite his censure, Gonzales has retained the support of the Republican Party leadership.
