Padilla Stout campaign's $4,338 food and drink spending draws attack from Herrera in TX-23

Right · 2Katy Padilla Stout, the Democratic nominee for Texas' 23rd Congressional District, reported expenditures totaling $4,338.14 in five transactions in March and April, according to spending details cited in an August RedState report and records attributed to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). 1 2 Right · 2The purchases included $675 for cookies for a campaign event, $1,289.22 at Total Wine and $2,373.92 at Las Guitarras Cocina Mexicana. 1 2 Right · 2By date, the campaign reported a $675 payment on March 30 described as "COOKIES FOR EVENT"; Total Wine payments of $1,089.08 on April 21 and $200.14 the next day, both described as "BEER AND WINE"; and payments of $2,027.52 and $346.40 to Las Guitarras on April 27 and 28. 1 2

Right · 2Republican opponent Brandon Herrera's campaign website, "The Real Katy Stout," highlights the cookie purchase under a "Cookie gate" section, accuses Stout of using donor funds to pay for the treats, and names the payee as Denise Gamboa Zelle. 1 2 Right · 2Stout told Fox News Digital the disbursements "were for campaign and fundraising events which were attended by our supporters," and said the Texas-shaped sugar cookies came from a local bakery because the campaign believes in supporting small businesses. 1 2 Right · 2The articles note that the filings show the campaign reported the expenditures but do not establish whether the purchases were improper, whether any were for personal use, or how many people attended the events. 1 2

Right · 2The spending drew renewed attention after a Tuesday televised debate in San Antonio, hosted by WOAI/KABB, where Stout said Herrera made millions "making fun of Nazis"; Herrera replied, "And here I thought making fun of Nazis was a good thing." 1 2 Right · 2Stout later apologized, saying "I did misspeak," and told Fox News Digital that mocking Nazis is fine but that the objection was to content that trivializes veteran suicide, rape, child murder, women's bodies and the Holocaust. Stout also said Herrera promotes Nazi imagery in videos and cited the Republican Jewish Coalition's criticism of Herrera. 1 2 Right · 2The two are competing to replace former Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, who resigned earlier this year after acknowledging an affair with a staffer. The district runs from the San Antonio area toward El Paso and includes hundreds of miles of the US-Mexico border; early voting begins Oct. 19 and Election Day is Nov. 3. 1 2

Right · 2Stout is a former teacher and child welfare attorney campaigning on affordability and corruption; Herrera, a firearms manufacturer and online personality using "Let's Go Brandon" as a slogan, campaigns on border law enforcement, tax cuts and Second Amendment protections. Herrera's campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. 1 2