Top story
Herrera, Padilla Stout Race for West Texas Congressional District 23 | 2026
During the debate, Padilla Stout spoke to Big Bend border construction, stating that Herrera was “still on the campaign trail with Donald Trump and [U.S.
Updated Oct 16, 2026, 3:12 PM ET
Katy Padilla Stout, a Democratic attorney, is her party's nominee for the open seat in Texas's 23rd congressional district in 2026 against Republican Brandon Herrera, a firearms manufacturer and YouTuber.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
Live TruthIndex™ and prediction market consensus for races contested by Katy Padilla Stout.
Latest coverage
Live News
Recent media coverage for Katy Padilla Stout.
-
Democratic Opponent Blasts Brandon Herrera’s “Water Is Not a Human Right” Stance
Brandon Herrera's Democratic opponent, Katy Padilla Stout, is criticizing the Texas Republican over past comments agreeing with the position that water is
-
Today on Texas Standard: Border wall worker camps raise concerns in West Texas
Republican Brandon Herrera and Democrat Katy Padilla Stout faced off this week in the race for Texas’ sprawling 23rd Congressional District.
No story this week names this candidate.
Biography & Campaign Analysis
2026 race
Katy Padilla Stout, an attorney, is the Democratic nominee in the 2026 election for Texas's 23rd congressional district, which covers southwestern Texas from the Big Bend through Del Rio and Uvalde to the northern San Antonio suburbs.
The seat is open because Republican incumbent Tony Gonzales ended his re-election campaign on March 5 after admitting to a sexual relationship with a former staff member, and he later resigned on April 13.
Padilla Stout won the Democratic primary outright with 52.1% of the vote, defeating civil engineer Santos Limon, the party's 2024 nominee, along with accountant Bruce Richardson and community organizer Gretel Enck.
In the November 3, 2026, general election she faces Republican Brandon Herrera, a firearms manufacturer and YouTuber who ran for the district in 2024.