โIt is our problem to solveโ: US Rep. Tony Gonzales discusses gratitude, mistakes, new goals after winning runoff
After Tuesday's nail-biter, Republican incumbent Tony Gonzales eventually took the runoff win for U.S. District 23 by just 407 votes. The race was filled with attack ads between Gonzales and social media content creator and political newcomer Brandon Herrera.
Common Grounds: Opposites Tony Gonzales, Brandon Herrera face off in final stretch of Congressional runoff
In the first episode of "Common Grounds," we explore the U.S. Rep. District 23 Republican runoff race between two-term incumbent Tony Gonzales and YouTube show host and gunmaker Brandon Herrera.
Incumbent congressman faces off against YouTube personality, gun manufacturer in District 23 GOP runoff
Trying to become a third-term Congressman in one of the most frequently contested districts in the country (TX 23), Tony Gonzales finds himself in a run-off against an opponent who does most of his talking online.
Leading SA: Congressmen Henry Cuellar, Tony Gonzales on border deal in works
As migrants continue heading towards the U.S.-Mexico border, South Texas finds itself in the crosshairs of a national story. Two Congressmen whose districts include sections of the border joined Leading SA on Sunday morning.
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales defiant as he faces censure for breaking with Republican Party
The censure resolution cites Gonzalesโ rejection of a border security proposal by fellow Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy, and his support of a bill for same-sex marriage protections and a bipartisan gun safety law.
As his district gets redder, Uvaldeโs Republican congressman faces heat for votes on guns and gay marriage
Gonzales broke with his party to support sweeping gun safety legislation that passed after the cityโs tragedy. He drew backlash from GOP activists again after he voted to protect same-sex marriage.
Bexar County GOP hasnโt censured Cornyn & Gonzales, but chairman says it could still happen
Resolutions to censure the two Texas Republicans ultimately didnโt pass. But the local party chairman says itโs not because they were voted down; itโs because a procedural issue meant they couldn't be voted on at all.
Texas congressman Tony Gonzales, who represents Uvalde, breaks with House Republicans to vote for gun bill
The U.S. House passed the legislation Friday afternoon. Nearly all Texas Republicans voted against it. The bill is widely viewed as a series of modest changes to current gun regulations, falling far short of proposals pushed by House Democrats and President Joe Biden.
Cornyn signals looming Senate gun debate but voting records of local congressmen reveal gridlock on even modest reforms
Last weekโs massacre at Uvaldeโs Robb Elementary School is the latest stark reminder of just how little action the United States Congress has taken in recent years on gun reform.
Biden administration speeds up deportation flights for Haitians in growing Texas migrant camp
The situation in Del Rio spiraled this week as more than 15,000 migrants, many of them from Haiti, arrived at the border in recent days, settling in a makeshift camp as they waited for CBP agents to process their petitions to stay in the U.S.
San Antonio congressmen, Texas senator urge feds to ensure Paul Rusesabaginaโs โsafe returnโ to U.S. amid trial in Rwanda
Itโs almost been a full year since a United States resident living in San Antonio was tricked onto a private charter flight that ended with his arrest and imprisonment once he landed in Rwanda.
Texas lawmakers to tour Texas-Mexico border in Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales will tour the Texas-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday to get an update on the migrant surge in the region. The congressional delegation from Texas will be joined by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.
Lawmakers are seeking common ground on DACA, but comprehensive immigration reform will be a challenge for Democrats
AdโFor the past four years, the DACA program has been under attack, so itโs been a lot of stress and trauma for me. Despite Democrats controlling Congress and the White House, the U.S. Senate filibuster stands in the way of comprehensive immigration reform. President Bidenโs policies are not the immigration reform Americans desperately need,โ he said in a press release in late February. Thats why we havenโt had success.โGonzales said he thinks the best approach to immigration reform is not comprehensive, but rather piece by piece and targeted. โI do think thereโs an appetite for immigration reform if we do it in the proper manner.
TSA screening dogs at San Antonio International Airport? Itโs a possibility
SAN ANTONIO โ As the second impeachment trial for former President Donald Trump begins, there is a sense of bipartisanship at the San Antonio International Airport. AdRight now the San Antonio International Airport is the only category one airport in Texas without passenger screening canine teams. If we get the dogs here at the airport, obviously it would be effective,โ Tonya Hope with the San Antonio International Airport said. I mean, the country is in good hands, and, yes, we have a very bright future ahead of us,โ Congressman Gonzales said. The addition of TSA screening dogs would allow for a safer experience in our airports and provides an additional level of security that our airport currently lacks.โAdREAD MORE:San Antonio International Airport working to keep passengers safe while feeling strain of pandemicSan Antonio Airport System lands coveted air service conference in 2022Tips for traveling through the San Antonio airport during the pandemic
2 Texas congressmen talk about goals in Biden administration, what comes next
SAN ANTONIO โ President Joe Biden is officially in office, marking a big shift in political ideas and plans in the executive office. Also on the Appropriations Committee, but on the other side of the aisle, Democrat Cuellar represents Texasโ 28th district. I believe that an idea, itโs not a republican idea or a democratic idea, itโs an idea that itโs good for everybody,โ Cuellar said. Cuellar has represented his constituents since 2005, and has certain goals for the start of the Biden administration. Both congressmen said the economy needs to be opened back up to help Texans get back on their feet.
Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales votes against impeachment of Pres. Donald Trump
President Donald Trump made history on Wednesday by becoming the first U.S. president to be impeached twice. Texas congressman Tony Gonzales called the historic nature of the vote โpartisan,โ and said the attempt to impeach Trump is an act to divide the country further. In a Twitter post, Gonzales said, โI rejected Nany Pelosiโs latest attempt to impeach the president. With one week left in President Trumpโs term, the latest efforts to impeach the President does nothing to heal our country. We are bitterly divided right now โ and this effort only worsens that divide.โRelated: US House votes to impeach President Donald Trump
Republican Tony Gonzales pledges to unite District 23 after defeating Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones
SAN ANTONIO - โ It took until the wee hours of the morning Wednesday for Republican Tony Gonzales to be declared the winner in the U.S. Rep. District 23 race. Gonzales beat Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones to succeed Rep. Will Hurd, a Republican, who decided not to seek re-election. โDistrict 23 is as tough as it gets, and we performed really well last night. U.S. Rep., District 23 View All CandidatesGonzales received 51% of the vote to 46% for Ortiz Jones. Though Gonzales will soon head to Washington D.C., he promised not to lose touch with the people of District 23.
In blue and red states, milestone wins for LGBTQ candidates
According to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which recruits and supports LGBTQ candidates, that leaves only Alaska, Louisiana and Mississippi as states that have never elected an LGBTQ legislator. With the addition of Jones and Torres, there will be nine openly LGBTQ members of the House as of January. Two other Democrats became the first openly transgender people to win seats in their statesโ Houses: Taylor Small in Vermont and Stephanie Byers in Kansas. And in New York, Jabari Brisport, a gay math teacher, became the first openly LGBTQ person of color elected to the legislature. And in southwestern Michiganโs 6th District, Jon Hoadley, seeking to become the stateโs first openly gay congressman, lost to 17-term GOP Rep. Fred Upton.
2020 races that havenโt been called yet
By midnight, Biden had racked up 205 electoral votes to Trumpโs 171, according to the Associated Press. Congressional District 23UPDATE: Republican Tony Gonzales wins election to U.S. House in Texas' 23rd Congressional District, AP reports. Gonzales' lead, which ballooned to 14,000 votes before midnight, is a much healthier advantage than past races in the districtโs history, but it remained too close to call with only 78% of precincts reporting. โWith thousands of ballots yet to be counted, the Gonzales campaignโs attempt to declare victory is premature,โ Jones' campaign manager Lacey Morrison said. Flores stunned the Texas political landscape by winning the District 19 state senate seat.
Election results 2020: Balance of Power for Congress: Which party will control U.S. House, Senate?
Find other election results Type to search all races...Get more election results on our homepage and Vote 2020 page. Be the first to know by downloading our newsreader app or signing up for breaking news email alerts. Canโt see the map below? Click here. Early voting results will be released at 7 p.m. CST on Nov. 3, 2020Find more context on key races below:
5 things to watch on Election Day in Texas
Editorโs note: Get election results on our homepage and Vote 2020 page. While the top of the ballot has received the most attention, the balance of the Texas House of Representatives is also at stake. For the first time in years, Democrats have a chance to flip the 150-member Texas House, which has been controlled by Republicans for more than a decade. There are 18 to 22 state House races that Democrats are targeting. More key races for Congress, Texas Senate, County CommissionersAside from the Texas House and president, there are several high-profile federal-, state- and county-level races that have local implications.
Election results 2020: Congressional races in the San Antonio area (South, Central, West Texas)
Published: November 2, 2020, 10:55 am Updated: November 3, 2020, 12:16 pmFind other election results Type to search all races...Get more election results on our homepage and Vote 2020 page. Be the first to know by downloading our newsreader app or signing up for breaking news email alerts. Early voting results will be released at 7 p.m. CST on Nov. 3, 2020Find more context on key races below:
AP declares Tony Gonzales winner in Texas Congressional District 23
Republican Tony Gonzales wins election to U.S. House in Texas' 23rd Congressional District2:40 a.m. โ Republican Tony Gonzales wins election to U.S. House in Texas' 23rd Congressional District, AP reports. Hurd had endorsed Republican Tony Gonzales, whose victory Tuesday night dealt Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones a second defeat in as many years. With 68.6% of precincts reporting, Tony Gonzales is up by five percentage points with 51% of the vote. 8:28 p.m. โ In what is expected to be a close race all night, Republican Tony Gonzales is currently leading in Congressional District 23. Texas' Congressional District 23 (KSAT/Brittney Daniels)Both candidates have served their countries.
WATCH: Health care, veterans issues take center stage in Texas Congressional District 23 debate
Jones is hoping to flip the district for the Democrats while Tony Gonzales hopes to keep the district red and succeed Will Hurd. Throughout the debate, Jones and Gonzales traded barbs over health care. โIf you want to know how much Tony Gonzales cares about your health and your health care, go to his website and look under the issues page," Jones said. On veterans issues, Gonzales said he helped pass the Veterans Affairs Accountability Act, which helped protect whistleblowers and increased discipline on misconduct. โTony Gonzales was silent when this president insulted our fallen heroes.
LIVE COVERAGE: Congressional debate hosted by KSAT in Uvalde
Follow along with our live coverage of the debate between Republican Tony Gonzales and Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones from the heart of Congressional District 23, at Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde. Read more about the race:The hour-long debate will air live on KSAT, KSAT.com and all of KSATโs free streaming platforms starting at 7 p.m. Southwest Texas Junior College and Sul Ross State University are the hosts, and KSATโs Steve Spriester will be the moderator. We want our viewers to weigh in on the issues they want to hear about from the candidates. In a race where the margin is usually razor-thin, debates can make the difference. And, for more election news and key races, visit KSATโs Vote 2020 page or sign up for our free election newsletter.
Texas Congressional District 23 candidates give their stance on the biggest issues facing their voters
Jones has made health care a primary cornerstone of her campaign, and she called her district โone of the most medically-underserved districts in the country." โIt was the number one issue before this pandemic,โ Jones said. However, his website does not include a specific plan on health care. โI think it is absolutely possible to secure our border without a border wall and to treat people with humanity and respect." Like Gonzales, Jones thinks thereโs an opportunity to help reform the current immigration system.
Congressional candidate Tony Gonzales evasive when asked if KKK is a terrorist organization
The Republican candidate, who was endorsed by Trump, would not commit to labeling the Ku Klux Klan as a terrorist organization when put on the spot. Watch Oct. 8: Debate between Tony Gonzales, Gina Ortiz Jones in CD-23 raceBut Gonzales became visibly uncomfortable when Aguillon asked him about his views on MS-13 and the KKK. โLook, I donโt support the KKK,โ Gonzales said. But labeling a domestic group as a terrorist organization is complicated, federal officials have previously said, and could lead to a conflict with the First Amendment. No U.S.-based extremist group has ever been formally designated as a terrorist organization.
A recent history of Texasโ most competitive congressional district: CD-23
Texas Republican Will Hurd has held the Congressional District 23 seat since 2014, but that doesnโt mean the seat will be reliably red this November as he departs from office. Jones won 48.73% of the vote, while Hurd won 49.17%, a difference of 0.44% or 926 votes. After the narrow win, Hurd quickly decided against seeking reelection, leaving Senator Tim Scott as the only Black Republican in Congress. Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones and Republican Tony Gonzales are candidates for Texas' Congressional District 23. While Jones has the fundraising advantage on Gonzales, Gonzales carries the endorsements of Trump and Hurd.