Episode Overview

Podcast: Bulwark Takes
Host: The Bulwark (Will Sommer)
Date: March 7, 2026
Episode Title: The GOP Scandal So Twisted They Can’t Spin It
Theme:
This episode centers on the scandal consuming Republican Congressman Tony Gonzalez—allegations of an affair with a staffer that led to her tragic suicide, his defiant refusal to resign, and the broader implications for the GOP as they handle internal scandals in a fraught political climate. The discussion expands to look at Gonzalez’s likely replacement, Brandon Herrera, and what his ascension signals about shifts within the Republican Party.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tony Gonzalez’s Scandal: Key Events and Fallout

• Scandal Details

  • Tony Gonzalez had a long-standing affair with a subordinate staffer. Text messages allege he pressured her to send illicit photos and pursued her aggressively.
    (01:16) Joe Perticone: “...he was pressuring her and really pushing her to send illicit photos and really pursuing her aggressively.”
  • The staffer eventually died by suicide in an extremely tragic manner, which intensified the fallout.
  • New information keeps surfacing, including text messages published by the Daily Mail.

• Congressional and Party Response

  • Unlike past similar scandals, party leadership (specifically Speaker Mike Johnson) did not push for his resignation. The thin Republican majority explains the hesitancy.
    • (02:40) Joe Perticone: “He has made the calculation that he’d rather have a thin majority with scumbags in it than … not have a horribly unethical scumbag in it.”

• Gonzalez’s Attempted Damage Control

  • Gonzalez attempted to deflect blame for the suicide onto the victim’s estranged husband in a video, citing questionable police report details.
    • (04:02) Will Sommer: “...he then goes and says, and by the way, a lot of people are blaming me for this woman’s suicide. But if you read the police report...”
  • Gonzalez only dropped from the re-election race after realizing fundraising and institutional support evaporated; the turnaround happened within 24 hours.
    • (06:45) Joe Perticone: “...he thought he was going full steam to the runoff, to all of a sudden saying, no, I’m done.”

2. Broader Context: How Congress Responds to Scandal

• Past cases, like Trent Franks (2017), set recent precedent for swift resignations after similar allegations—contrasting with current permissiveness.

  • (01:53) Joe Perticone: “...Trent Franks…allegedly…tried to pressure staffers…he was forced to resign…This, there’s been no pressure on Gonzalez to resign.”

• Ethics Committee’s limitations: Investigations are slow and mostly toothless, especially when a member is about to leave.

  • (07:46) Joe Perticone: “Ethics committees, investigations don't continue when someone's no longer in Congress. They move at a glacial pace.”

3. The Fallout for Texas’ 23rd District and the Rise of Brandon Herrera

• District At-Risk

  • The scandal could plausibly flip a “Republican +7” seat, especially in a national Democratic wave.
    • (04:45) Joe Perticone: “He being scandal plagued, running for reelection would seriously put the seat at risk...”

• Brandon Herrera—Who’s Next in Line?

  • Profile: A hard-right YouTuber and gun enthusiast, “Mr. AK,” with a fringe internet following.
    • Backed heavily and quickly by the Freedom Caucus and similar right-wing groups.
    • Flamboyantly brags about his WWII memorabilia and book collection, including a notable copy of "Mein Kampf."
      • (10:32) Joe Perticone: “There's my copy at my house next to a bunch of the German stick grenades. I got the 1939 edition printed in English...”
    • Will Sommer reacts: (10:46) “It strikes me, look, I'm not saying you can't have a copy of Mein Kampf...but at the point where...you got your Hitler book, you've got your World War II Nazi grenades. It's not a great sign.”
  • Controversial Reputation:
    • Quoted referring to a Nazi firearm as the "original ghetto blaster."
      (11:24) Will Sommer: “The idea of, like, the Jewish ghetto. I guess overall, it’s…there's a lot of, like, kind of weird stuff going on in this guy's background too.”
    • Endorsed by polarizing figures like Kyle Rittenhouse, signaling his strong alignment with gun rights activist circles.
      • (12:16) Will Sommer: “...this guy’s been endorsed by the likes of Kyle Rittenhouse, who is helping him campaign...”

4. Political Fallout & Democratic Opportunities

• Democrats are now investing opposition research resources and targeting the district, signaled by rapid “oppo book” releases on Herrera.
  • (12:34) Joe Perticone: “...the fact that people are already digging into this random new person who’s running in this race shows that, like, there’s some money, there’s some financial investment in trying to unseat him.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On party priorities:
  (02:40) Joe Perticone: “He has made the calculation that he’d rather have a thin majority with scumbags in it than maybe have a more difficult time...”
• On the gravity of the Gonzalez scandal:
  (07:21) Will Sommer: “...this was a truly twisted scandal.”
• On Herrera’s persona:
  (10:46) Will Sommer: “It strikes me, look, I'm not saying you can't have a copy of Mein Kampf...but at the point where...you got your Hitler book, you've got your World War II Nazi grenades. It's not a great sign.”
• On opposition research and the district’s competitiveness:
  (12:34) Joe Perticone: “...the fact that people are already digging into this random new person...shows that, like, there’s some money, there’s some financial investment in trying to unseat him.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:16–04:45: Breakdown of the Gonzalez scandal, how it escalated, and political implications.
• 05:48–07:21: Why Gonzalez actually dropped out; discussion of behind-the-scenes factors (fundraising/support loss).
• 08:41–10:32: Introduction to Brandon Herrera, Republican nominee-in-waiting.
• 10:32–11:47: Discussion of Herrera’s “Hitler thing,” WWII memorabilia, and controversial statements.
• 12:16–12:34: How Democrats see opportunity in the wake of the scandal, and their growing focus on the district.

Summary Conclusion

This episode of Bulwark Takes offers a deep dive into one of the most sordid Congressional scandals in recent memory. With Tony Gonzalez’s chaotic exit and the rise of a potentially even more problematic candidate, Brandon Herrera, the show deftly highlights the corrosion of ethical standards within the GOP and points to the broader stakes heading into the next election. The episode's banter—slightly incredulous, sardonic, but deeply informed—pulls no punches in documenting the surreal state of Republican intraparty politics, while also tracking the very real electoral consequences for both parties.