Republican congressional candidate Brandon Herrera has drawn renewed attention after a video resurfaced showing him joking about sending unadopted kittens to Chinese restaurants during a podcast appearance, invoking a racist stereotype about Chinese people and the consumption of cats and dogs.
The remarks were made during an appearance on The Josie Show last year and circulated again on social media on October 21, 2026. Herrera is running for the US House of Representatives in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District against Democratic candidate Katy Padilla Stout.
During the conversation, the host, known as The Redheaded Libertarian, recounted rescuing a kitten after learning that its three siblings were on an animal shelter’s euthanasia list. She said she returned to help the other kittens and arranged for a rescue organization to find them homes.
{{/usCountry}}During the conversation, the host, known as The Redheaded Libertarian, recounted rescuing a kitten after learning that its three siblings were on an animal shelter’s euthanasia list. She said she returned to help the other kittens and arranged for a rescue organization to find them homes.
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Herrera responded by saying he disliked seeing animals euthanized unnecessarily, before suggesting that shelters could work with Chinese restaurants.
What Brandon Herrera said about unadopted kittens
“I hate to see animals put down for no reason,” Herrera said during the conversation.
He then added: “Like, the very bare minimum, they could at least collaborate with the local Chinese restaurant and some sort of like— Don’t let it go to waste, you know?”
The exchange, which was part of a discussion about rescuing vulnerable animals, subsequently resurfaced on X.
The clip showed Herrera making the suggestion while responding to the host's account of efforts to save the kittens. The remarks turned a conversation about animal welfare into a joke implying that the animals could be sent to a Chinese restaurant for consumption.
Who is Brandon Herrera?
Herrera, a firearms content creator known online as “The AK Guy”, is running for Congress in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District. He is challenging Democratic candidate Katy Padilla Stout for the seat.
The episode adds to scrutiny of candidates' past public statements during election campaigns, particularly when their remarks involve ethnic stereotypes.