Why It Matters
Social media posts resurface weeks before the general election for a competitive Texas House seat, forcing a Republican nominee to address old statements as voters weigh their choice in a district that nearly flipped Democratic in 2024.
What Happened
Jorge Borrego, the Republican nominee for Texas House District 118 in San Antonio, apologized this week for social media posts from 2013 that contained homophobic slurs, racist language, and references to cocaine. The posts surfaced after being shared by the publisher of conservative media outlet Current Revolt, and Borrego’s initial response—dismissing the concerns by noting he was 16 at the time—garnered nearly 1 million views on X.
Borrego, now 30, said the posts were “crude and immature jokes” made during adolescence. “I regret the language I used then and apologize to anyone it hurt,” “In no way do those past posts represent my current sentiments and feelings,” according to a statement obtained by the Texas Tribune. He also acknowledged struggling with his upbringing, stating “I have always been open about growing up in an environment where drug and alcohol abuse were common, and as a kid, I sometimes used dark humor to cope with trauma I did not yet know how to process.”
The Texas Tribune subsequently identified additional unreported posts beyond the nine initially made public. Borrego is a realtor and former education policy analyst who has received backing from Gov. Greg Abbott and state Sen. Mayes Middleton. He faces Democrat Kristian Carranza, a political strategist, in the November general election.
By the Numbers
2013 — year the social media posts were made
16 — Borrego’s age when he posted the content
1 million — views on his response post on X
53% — vote share Borrego won in March GOP primary
$417,000 — amount Texans for Lawsuit Reform spent supporting Borrego
3.5 percentage points — margin by which Carranza fell short in the 2024 election
Zoom Out
The incident reflects broader scrutiny of candidates’ online histories as digital records of adolescent behavior become campaign fodder. Texas House District 118 has become a battleground: the incumbent, John Lujan, chose not to seek reelection and is instead running for Congress. Carranza’s near-miss in 2024 signaled Democratic gains in a traditionally Republican San Antonio area, making the seat competitive in the Trump era.
Borrego entered electoral politics in 2021 as a legislative director for state Rep. J.M. Lozano, later serving as K-12 education policy director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He holds degrees from the University of Texas at San Antonio and Texas A&M University, where he earned a master’s degree in public administration. He also serves part-time as treasurer of the Down Syndrome Association of Brazos Valley.
What’s Next
Borrego will face Carranza in the November general election. The controversy may influence voter decisions in a district where Democrats have shown growing strength, though the Republican nominee retains organizational and financial advantages, including backing from Abbott’s political apparatus.