Speaker Johnson Backs Candidate Despite Video of Offensive Remarks

Speaker Mike Johnson refused to pull his endorsement of Texas GOP nominee Brandon Herrera on Sunday after CNN's Jake Tapper played an uncensored clip of Herrera making sexually explicit remarks about women.

• Herrera narrowly lost the 2024 GOP primary by just over 400 votes before winning the nomination.
• Tapper described Herrera testing a Nazi-era submachine gun and calling it the 'original ghetto blaster.'
• Herrera's opponent is Katy Padilla Stout, a former school teacher, in Texas' 23rd Congressional District.
• CNN has compiled multiple offensive comments from Herrera in recent reporting, the network said.

Why it matters: Johnson's endorsement and fundraising for Herrera ties the Speaker directly to a candidate whose pre-political record includes crude remarks about women, jokes about veteran suicide, and videos featuring Nazi-era imagery.

• Tapper argued the endorsement undercuts Johnson's ability to criticize Democratic nominees with controversial records.

How 6 sources split on this story

Where they split: Whether Johnson's defense — that Herrera's statements were a past 'persona' and that he has apologized — is adequate justification for a sitting Speaker's endorsement.

What’s next: Johnson predicted Herrera would win and join the House Republican caucus.

• Herrera told CNN the interview misrepresented the stakes of the race relative to his opponent.
• Whether Johnson's endorsement will affect Herrera's standing with voters in Texas' 23rd District.
• Whether other Republican leaders will follow Johnson's lead or distance themselves from Herrera.