Politics · United States · 4 hrs ago
Texas House candidates clash over campaign spending and debate remark
Democrat Katy Padilla Stout is running against Republican Brandon Herrera for a U.S. House seat in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, along the southern border.
Federal election records show Stout’s campaign reported $4,338.14 in spending across five transactions in March and April.
The purchases included cookies for an event, beer and wine, and meals at a Mexican restaurant.
Herrera’s campaign has criticized the spending, while Stout says it paid for campaign and fundraising events attended by supporters.
The records do not show whether any spending was improper or personal.
The issue is drawing attention as the candidates compete for the seat, alongside a debate exchange in which Stout criticized Herrera’s online jokes about Nazis and later apologized and clarified her criticism.
Federal election records show Katy Padilla Stout’s campaign reported $4,338.14 in spending on cookies, beer and wine, and restaurant purchases in March and April.
Republican opponent Brandon Herrera has used the reported spending to criticize Stout’s campaign.
Stout said the purchases were for campaign and fundraising events attended by supporters.
The records do not establish whether the purchases were improper or for personal use.
At a televised debate in San Antonio, Stout criticized Herrera’s online jokes about Nazis, then apologized and clarified her criticism.
- Who
- Katy Padilla Stout, the Democratic nominee, and Republican candidate Brandon Herrera.
- What
- Herrera criticized campaign spending reported by Stout’s campaign, and the candidates clashed over a debate remark about Herrera’s jokes about Nazis.
- When
- The campaign reported the spending in March and April 2026. The debate was held on a Tuesday; the article was published on October 16, 2026.
- Where
- Texas’ 23rd Congressional District; the televised debate was in San Antonio.
- Why
- Herrera’s campaign used the spending to attack Stout. Stout said the purchases were for campaign and fundraising events.
Katy Padilla Stout
Brandon Herrera
Campaign spending
Katy Padilla Stout
Stout said the purchases were for campaign and fundraising events attended by supporters.
Brandon Herrera
Herrera’s campaign highlighted the cookie purchase and accused Stout of using donor funds to pay for the treats.
Debate remark
Katy Padilla Stout
Stout criticized Herrera for making jokes about Nazis, then apologized and clarified her criticism.
Brandon Herrera
Herrera responded that he thought making fun of Nazis was a good thing.
Stout’s campaign reported a $675 payment for cookies for an event.
The campaign reported two Total Wine payments described as beer and wine.
The campaign reported two payments to Las Guitarras Cocina Mexicana.
Stout and Herrera clashed during a televised debate in San Antonio, where Stout criticized Herrera’s jokes about Nazis.
- Candidate
- Katy Padilla Stout
- Opponent
- Brandon Herrera
- District
- Texas’ 23rd Congressional District
- Reported campaign spending
- $4,338.14 in five transactions
- Cookie payment
- $675, dated March 30, 2026
- Restaurant payments
- $2,373.92 at Las Guitarras Cocina Mexicana
What people are saying
were for campaign and fundraising events which were attended by our supporters
Sugar cookies, particularly Texas-shaped ones, hold a special place in Texan culture
And here I thought making fun of Nazis was a good thing.