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Being popular on social media isn't enough to win elections.
We've seen that time and time again as social media influencers have increasingly tried to parlay their online audiences into political power.
Earlier this month, Republican Valentina Gomez, who has more than 600,000 followers on X, lost badly in a primary election against U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock. Reporter Bayliss Wagner looks at how Gomez is part of a wave of influencers trying to use their social media platforms to run for office, with varying degrees of success.
Besides Gomez, Wagner looks at the congressional campaign of Brandon Herrera, a YouTuber with 4.2 million followers, and Austin City Council candidate Farrah Abraham, the former "Teen Mom" star who went viral after learning in a live TMZ interview that she was ineligible to run for mayor until 2028.
But Herrera might be about to break through, thanks in part to U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, ending his re-election bid following revelations about an extramarital affair he had with a staffer who later killed herself by setting herself on fire. Herrera lost to Gonzales in 2024, but now he is the GOP nominee in a district where Republicans are favored to win.
Campaigns are increasingly turning to social media stars to help them reach new voters - particularly younger voters who don't consume traditional media in the same way as older voters. As I wrote earlier this year, Democratic Senate hopeful James Talarico turned to Texas TikTok giant Carlos Eduardo Espina to help him campaign. Espina didn't just tout Talarico to his 15 million followers, but also attended rallies and showed up in TV commercials to help Talarico win his primary on March 3.
Who's Up, Who's Down
A daily stock market-style report on key players in Texas politics.
Up: Houston.
With the military actions in Venezuela and Iran on top of mind, energy industry leaders from around the globe are flocking to Houston to address the future of their industry as part of CERAWeek. U.S. Energy Sec. Chris Wright, Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, and former U.S. Climate Czar John Kerry are among those who will bring international attention to the city. More here on why CERAWeek is such a big deal for Texas via reporter Rachel Nostrant.
Down: Lina Hidalgo.
A resolution calling for her resignation was scuttled on Thursday night, but it is far from over. The Harris County Judge, a Democrat, has been under fire ever since she was kicked out of the rodeo during a March 10 concert after she and a group of her guests attempted to access a premium seating area at NRG Stadium for which they did not have tickets. Commissioner Tom Ramsey, a Republican, has been pushing for the resolution, which in part says, "Judge Lina Hidalgo's entitled behavior and misuse of her official position have embarrassed this Commissioners Court and the people of Harris County time and time again." The three Democratic commissioners haven't spoken publicly on the county judge's behavior, but Commissioner Lesley Briones assured those in attendance Thursday that "this (discussion) will be happening" March 31.
What do you think? Hit reply and let me know.
What else is going on in Texas
 Photo by: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle |
Fort Bend County Judge KP George was convicted Friday of felony money laundering after jurors found he used campaign funds into personal accounts and used the money to cover his personal expenses. Read More |
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 Photo by: Julio Cortez, Associated Press |
Bexar County says the case is moot because its contract with the nonprofit that administers the program has already expired. Read More |
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 Photo by: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle |
Parker, who is now running for Harris County Judge, said in a social media post she did not authorize the use of her photo. Read More |
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 Photo by: Contributed Photo |
Stephanie Kenny-Velasquez is married to an Army reservist and fled Venezuela to sought asylum in the U.S. She's facing deportation after a routine check-in. Read More |
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 Photo by: Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images |
Actor and martial artist Chuck Norris died Thursday, his family posted on social media. Norris frequently popped up in Republican politics in Texas and beyond. Read More |
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 Photo by: Katina Zentz, San Antonio Express-News |
San Antonio ISD trustees will discuss the future of its vacant buildings in a March 23 board meeting. Read More |
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Pick of the day
Photo by: Houston Chronicle
It's now been 3 years since I became the full-time author of the Texas Take in March 2023. And I owe all of y'all a big thank you for being part of this community that is now in the tens of thousands and stretches from the Rio Grande to the Red River. Thanks to all of y'all who have supported the Take and those of y'all who have taken the time to send me feedback via email or at events around the Great State. I think I'll celebrate the anniversary with a little BBQ and some Parker McCollum tunes at the Houston rodeo.
What else I'm reading
The Dallas Mavericks are still shopping for a new home. The Dallas Morning News reports that Mavericks CEO Rick Welts says the team still wants a downtown arena, but with no land, no talks with City Hall and no design, the project remains in its earliest stages. The Mavs lease on their current home, American Airlines Center, runs through 2031.
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