GOP Candidate Jorge Borrego Apologizes for Racist, Homophobic Social Media Posts

Republican nominee Jorge Borrego, running for Texas House District 118 in San Antonio, has apologized for decade-old social media posts containing offensive language and crude humor, including homophobic slurs, racist tropes, and references to drug use. The posts, dating back to 2013 when Borrego was 16, resurfaced this week after being highlighted by conservative media outlet Current Revolt publisher Tony Ortiz.

Borrego, a 30-year-old realtor and former education policy analyst, initially downplayed the posts in an X (formerly Twitter) response, writing, “I was 16 lol,” before later issuing a formal apology. In a Tuesday statement to the Texas Tribune, he called the posts “crude and immature jokes” from his teenage years and said they do not reflect his current views. He added that he has grown since that period, during which he wrote about drug use, made derogatory remarks about Asians, gay people, and religion, and attributed a fake quote to Adolf Hitler.

The revelation comes as Borrego, endorsed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and state Senator Mayes Middleton, faces Democrat Kristian Carranza in the November general election. House District 118, a majority-Hispanic battleground seat, has flipped between parties multiple times in the past decade and is a top Democratic target this cycle. Carranza, a 36-year-old political strategist, called Borrego’s comments “disgusting” and said his initial dismissive reaction showed he is “unfit” for public office.

Borrego’s campaign website emphasizes protecting children from fentanyl and addressing poverty, yet more than 50 of his old posts mention drugs, including cocaine and meth. Some posts referenced dealing drugs, while others contained vulgar sexual jokes and crude remarks about his now-wife. Despite his quick rise in Texas politics—having worked as legislative director for state Rep. J.M. Lozano and as a policy analyst at the Texas Public Policy Foundation—Borrego has acknowledged a difficult upbringing, raised by a teenage mother while his father was incarcerated.

His primary win in March was backed by significant spending from groups like Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC and Abbott’s campaign, which together invested over $438,000 in his race. Democrats nearly flipped HD 118 in 2024, when Carranza lost by just 3.5 percentage points. This year, national and state trends favoring Democrats, particularly among Hispanic voters, have intensified interest in the district.

The controversy reflects broader scrutiny of candidates’ digital histories as more young, internet-savvy leaders enter politics. Similar incidents have affected candidates on both sides, including Second Amendment activist Brandon Herrera and Democratic congressional hopeful Maureen Galindo, who faced backlash over antisemitic remarks.

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows is scheduled to attend a San Antonio fundraiser Thursday for Borrego and two other local Republican incumbents, both of whom are in competitive races.

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