The Texas Congressional race is seeing a notable split in fundraising as incumbent U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales significantly outpaces his GOP challenger, Brandon Herrera, ahead of a hotly contested runoff. Gonzales, representing the San Antonio area, raked in over $949,000 just in the first three months of the year, bringing his total for the cycle to more than $3.7 million. As per the San Antonio Report, Gonzales reported having over $1.5 million in cash on hand at the end of March.

Herrera, on the other hand, has only mustered over $401,000 during the same period, with his overall campaign contributions amounting to over $1.2 million. This financial discrepancy places Herrera substantially behind Gonzales, who faced criticism when the Texas GOP censured him over what they deemed to be ideologically discordant policies. Despite the party's rebuke, Gonzales nearly circumvented the runoff last month, securing the nomination by barely missing the threshold with a mere 5 percentage points less than required, according to the Texas Tribune.

The nature of the contributions indicates that both candidates are receiving a fair amount of national attention. Gonzales' fundraising endeavors have seen a flux of out-of-state donations, with about 56% of the contributions falling into this category. Corporate interests have also stepped in, with entities from the energy, agriculture, and telecommunications sectors funneling maximum permissible amounts to his campaign, as noted by the Texas Tribune.

Herrera's campaign contrasts with a significant portion of his financial support stemming from small-dollar donations, evidenced by two-thirds of his 479 contributions coming from out-of-state sources. His approach to fundraising often involves calls to action on his YouTube channel, which boasts over 3.3 million subscribers. Even though Herrera has been criticized for his past voting record in North Carolina and his local ties to San Antonio are questioned, he maintains that he has made the city his home for years. Gonzales' spokesperson, Evan Albertson, lambasted Herrera by saying, “Nobody knows TX-23 better and nobody works harder than Tony Gonzales. Week in and week out Tony Gonzales fights for Texas and delivers results,” Albertson's full statement was publicized in a San Antonio Report interview.

The upcoming May 28 runoff will determine which Republican candidate will face Democrat Santos Limon in the general election. Despite recent challenges, Gonzales is seen as the frontrunner in a district that leans Republican. Herrera, a YouTuber recognized for his gun-related content, has been an outspoken critic of Gonzales, particularly over the latter's support for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a significant piece of gun safety legislation—yet the act has benefited the district, including the community of Uvalde, with federal grants in the aftermath of a tragic school shooting, the effects of which were detailed by the San Antonio Report.