Unsubscribe Podcast Ep 226 — Brandon Is Running For Congress! (Round 2)

Date: August 17, 2025
Hosts: Eli Doubletap, Brandon Herrera, Donut Operator, The Fat Electrician
Summary compiled by an expert podcast summarizer

Main Theme & Episode Overview

This episode centers on Brandon Herrera’s (a.k.a. "The AK Guy") official announcement that he’s running for Congress again in the 2026 election cycle. The hosts dive into behind-the-scenes campaign realities, smear tactics, their personal experiences with live shows, fitness journeys, and more—sprinkled with their trademark humor and candid banter. There are also insightful reflections on veteran advocacy, the role of new media in politics, and why Brandon is stepping back into the political arena despite the chaos it brings.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Live Shows & Community Hype

• Tour Announcement & Sellouts: The hosts celebrate how quickly their live show tickets—especially VIP and meet-and-greet—sold out (05:02). They recall past antics, crowd energy, and the challenges and exhaustion of double shows (07:16).
• Audience Stories: Hilariously recall when someone brought an AT4 rocket launcher replica to a Nashville show, emphasizing both the rowdiness and loyalty of their crowd (05:51).
  • Quote: “Our crowd would rip them apart with their bare hands. It would be Dawn of the Dead.” – Eli (06:33)

2. Travel and Public Speaking Growth

• Eli’s D.C. Trip: Eli shares his experiences speaking at an American Warrior nonprofit event about the transition from military to civilian life (14:27). He reflects on overcoming public speaking fears due to experience from podcasting and tour shows.
  • Quote: “Our practice is in front of y’all every time.” – Donut (15:39)

3. Veteran Advocacy and Media Smears

• Brandon on Smear Campaigns: Brandon details his frustration with being targeted by millions in negative ads suggesting he "hates veterans", despite his extensive charitable work (33:04–34:44, 36:31).
  • Quote: “I don’t think for a f**ing moment you believe I don’t support veterans...if you actually believe it, say it like a man. Don’t just attack behind super PACs and sht.” – Brandon (35:30)
• Receipts: The show has raised ~$1 million for veterans and special needs causes (37:01).

4. Congressional Campaign Announcement

• Official "Coming Out": Brandon makes it official and discusses the chaos and leaks leading up (31:16).
• Grassroots Movement: Emphasizes the campaign’s reliance on thousands of small individual donors, not big PAC money. Explains why established political consultants "glitch out" at his digital support model (45:11).
• Motivation to Run: Brandon discusses how he doesn't "need" to run but is driven to do so out of principle (46:54).
  • Quote: “He could sit in his office, make amazing GunTube videos, and be a millionaire all day long... He is taking a pay cut because he truly cares about what he's doing.” – Donut (46:53)
• Response to Opponent Tony Gonzalez: A recurring segment pokes fun at Tony’s social-media attempts to be "edgy" and use online lingo, contrasting it with the Unsubscribe crew’s authenticity (38:23–41:18).

5. Term Limits & Political Rot

• Term Limits Stance: Strong support for congressional term limits; frustration with career politicians’ disconnect from constituents (49:53–53:33).
  • Quote: “There’s a lot of rot that happens in D.C.—at best you stay the same, most get worse.” – Brandon (52:06)
• Reflections on Old Politicians Running the Show: Colorful comparisons of career politicians to the elderly at the DMV or behind the wheel (52:52), calling for a refresh in leadership.

6. Fitness Challenge & Community Building

• Reddit-driven Positivity: The hosts show pride in their community’s fitness challenge success—members supporting each other, losing significant weight, and overcoming social anxieties (59:06–63:10).
  • Quote: “It’s so awesome to see...just a wall of positivity... lifting each other up....” – Eli (59:26)
• Personal Updates: Brandon has lost nearly 20lbs, Donut has gained muscle, and everyone is ramping up boxing and training.
• Philosophy on Bro-ship: Discussion on the importance of friends one can be silent with; how strong community is built on authenticity (19:04–20:19).

7. Gun Collecting & Nerding Out

• Live Gun Auction: Hilarious rundown of Brandon buying a rare HK PSG1 sniper rifle for Eli live via Rock Island Auction (72:01–73:48). The hosts geek out over rare guns, Metal Gear Solid references, and matching gun serial numbers (74:54–78:28).
  • Quote: “I was just cresting £20 [lost],...but it was 19 pounds [cut in the last two days].” – Brandon (60:11)

8. Behind the Scenes—Billionaire Friends & Flying Jets

• Alpha Jet Adventure: Brandon shares flying in an Alpha Jet with billionaire pilot/friend Jared Isaacman—who might become NASA chief. They muse about "billionaire tism" and what it’s like to be around galaxy brain types (96:09–98:48).

9. Announcing Eli’s Engagement

• Life Update: Eli casually announces his engagement to Sav, noting the struggle to keep it off the internet thanks to enthusiastic fans leaking the news (66:28–66:52).

10. Travel and Airport Rants

• TSA & DMV Fails: Extended complaints about airport incompetence and DMV bureaucracy, with stories about managing anxiety, encountering entitlement, and bureaucratic nightmares (86:35–93:03).
  • Humorous Quote: “I brought the literal deed with all the paperwork...being told that proof of ownership of a house doesn’t count.” – Brandon (93:03)

11. Existential Tangents: Space, Aliens, and Time Travel

• Big Brain Talk: Spirals into deep thoughts on spacewalks, alien civilizations, and Stephen Hawking’s time travel "experiment"—with the Unsubscribe crew’s trademark irreverence (99:22–102:16).

Notable Quotes and Timestamp Highlights

• [06:33] Eli: “Our crowd would just rip them apart... It would be Dawn of the Dead.”
• [15:39] Donut: “Our practice is in front of y’ all every time.”
• [31:16] Brandon: “I’ve decided to ruin my life for the second time. One of the poorest guarded secrets in unsub history…”
• [33:26] Brandon: “Just watching on ESPN...’Brandon Herrera hates veterans and kicks puppies.'"
• [35:30] Brandon: “I don’t think for a f***ing moment you believe that I don’t support veterans… Say what you mean. Alright, I’m done with my soapbox.”
• [37:01] Eli: “$972,000 in total for veterans and special needs.”
• [46:53] Donut: “He truly believes in what he’s running for. He could...make YouTube videos and be a millionaire all day long... He is taking a pay cut because he truly cares.”
• [52:06] Brandon: “Nobody gets better the longer they stay in DC...most people get worse.”
• [59:26] Eli: “Met with a wall of positivity…all the boys are getting checked.”
• [72:01] Brandon: “I call Eli... do you want a PSG1 for [X] dollars?”
• [93:03] Brandon: “Being told that proof of ownership of a house doesn’t count [as proof of residency at the DMV]…”
• [99:22] Donut/Brandon: “Doing a spacewalk on the space station would be amazing.”

Flow & Tone Notes

True to "Unsubscribe," the conversation is irreverent, bro-y, and self-aware. The tone is playful, densely referential for longtime fans (in-jokes about guns, pop culture, and their own sub-communities), but regularly pivots to serious issues—veteran mental health, political disillusionment, the grind of campaigning.

Key Timestamps

• [05:02] — Tour sellouts and audience stories
• [14:27] — Eli’s DC experience & public speaking reflections
• [33:26–36:31] — Brandon on being smeared, response to veteran attacks
• [37:01] — Nearly $1M donated to charity
• [41:18] — Mocking Tony’s "edgy" online posts
• [46:54] — Why Brandon is running (principles over profit)
• [52:06] — DC’s political rot & need for term limits
• [59:26–63:10] — Fitness community encouragement and personal gains/losses
• [72:01–73:48] — Gun auction for rare PSG1
• [96:09] — Flying with billionaire Jared Isaacman
• [99:22] — Existential musings on space/aliens/time travel

Closing Thoughts

This episode blends the usual chaos of Unsubscribe with newsworthy announcements and raw insight into modern politics. Brandon’s Congress run forms the narrative backbone, but the heart of the show remains the crew’s camaraderie, self-deprecating humor, and their bond with listeners—whether geeking out about rare weapons, bemoaning air travel, or supporting each other (and their fans) through real life changes.