Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Texas Republican candidate causes outrage with anti-Islamic campaign ad

Missouri GOP candidate makes anti-LGBTQ+ statement in video
  • Republican congressional candidate Valentina Gomez has caused outrage by posting a campaign video showing her setting fire to the Quran with a flamethrower.
  • Gomez, who is running for Texas’ 31st District in 2026, stated her aim to “end Islam” in the state, despite Muslims comprising only about one percent of Texas’s population.
  • The video, shared on X, quickly drew widespread condemnation, with critics describing it as incitement and hate speech.
  • Gomez has a history of controversial stunts and using hateful rhetoric against Muslims, the LGBT+ community, Black people, and immigrants.
  • Her past actions include staging a mock execution of an immigrant and burning LGBTQ+ books, and she previously failed in a Republican primary race in Missouri.
In full

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in