GOP lawmaker draws ire of 'fringe' MAGA Republicans after calling out Gaetz as 'scumbag'

Moderate conservative Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) has often drawn the ire of the far-right MAGA wing of his party. In 2023, the Texas GOP voted to censure him after he voted in favor of a measure to protect same-sex marriage.

Now, MAGA Republicans are furiously railing against Gonzales in response to comments he made against Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) and House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good (R-Virginia) during a CNN appearance last week.

Gonzales said, "It's my absolute honor to be in Congress, but I serve with some real scumbags…. Matt Gaetz, he paid minors to have sex with them at drug parties. Bob Good endorsed my opponent, a known neo-Nazi. These people used to walk around with white hoods at night. Now, they're walking around with white hoods in the daytime."

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Gaetz has vehemently died the allegations made against him during a federal sex trafficking investigation, and he was never charged with any crimes. And supporters of far-right MAGA Republican Brandon Herrera, who is challenging Gonzales via a primary in Texas' 23rd Congressional District, have slammed Gonzales for describing Herrera as an authoritarian.

In response to Gonzales' comments on CNN, Gaetz attacked the GOP congressman as a "RINO" (Republican In Name Only) and slammed him as "Turncoat Tony" on X, formerly Twitter.

Good, in a post on X, wrote, "It is not surprising that one of the most liberal RINOs in Congress, who has egregiously fought real border security, and votes like a Democrat, would resort to the Dem playbook in screaming 'racism.' Thankfully, the people of the Texas 23rd District can vote for change and an America first patriot, in Brandon Herrera."

In March, Gonzales defeated Herrera by around 20 percent in a GOP congressional primary and won roughly 45 percent of the vote, which fell short of the 50 percent needed in that district for him to avoid a runoff, win the nomination and enter the general election.

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The Hill's Mychael Schnell notes that the animosity between Gonzales and MAGA Republicans comes at a time of "increased tension and division among Republicans on Capitol Hill." And Gonzales clearly isn't on board with MAGA efforts to oust Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) as House speaker.

On CNN, Gonzales argued, "Members are tired. We're exhausted. It has been a brutal Congress. But we're also dug in. For some reason, these fringe people think as if they have the high ground. They do not."

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