Brandon Joseph Herrera (born November 20, 1995), also known as The AK Guy, is an American YouTuber, firearms manufacturer, and political candidate. He gained prominence through his YouTube channel, launched in 2014, which features firearms testing, historical weapon demonstrations, and commentary on gun policy and politics. Herrera is a member of the Republican Party. In 2024, Herrera ran to represent Texas's 23rd congressional district in the U . House of Representatives, challenging incumbent Tony Gonzales in the Republican primary. He lost by approximately 1 percentage point in a runoff. He ran again for the seat in 2026, forcing a runoff and becoming the nominee after Gonzales withdrew his candidacy. Politically, Herrera identifies as libertarian-leaning and is associated with right-wing populist figures, emphasizing gun rights, limited government, and support for President Donald Trump.

Infobox

Born

Brandon Joseph Herrera (1995-11-20) November 20, 1995 Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U .

Other name

TheAKGuy

Education

Campbell University (attended)

Political party

Republican

Channels

Brandon Herrera Brandon Herrera - B Side

Years active

2014–present

Genre

Firearms/Weaponry

Subscribers

4 million (main channel)

Views

826 million (main channel)

Tables

2024 United States House of Representatives election, District 23 (primary) · Electoral history › 2024

Total votes

Party

Total votes

Party

57,630

Candidate

100

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tony Gonzales (incumbent)	25,988	45
	Republican	Brandon Herrera	14,201	24
	Republican	Julie Clark	7,994	13
	Republican	Frank Lopez Jr.	6,266	10
	Republican	Victor Avila	3,181	5
Total votes			57,630	100

2024 United States House of Representatives election, District 23 (primary runoff) · Electoral history › 2024

Total votes

Party

Total votes

Party

29,692

Candidate

100

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tony Gonzales (incumbent)	15,023	50
	Republican	Brandon Herrera	14,669	49
Total votes			29,692	100

2026 United States House of Representatives election, District 23 (primary) · Electoral history › 2026

Total votes

Party

Total votes

Party

55,062

Candidate

100

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Brandon Herrera	23,857	43
	Republican	Tony Gonzales (incumbent)	22,979	41
	Republican	Keith Barton	4,672	8
	Republican	Quico Canseco	3,554	6
Total votes			55,062	100