An altercation between Republican Congressman John Carter and District 31 candidate Valentina Gomez occurred at the Williamson County GOP’s Golden Age Gala on January 24, held at Kalahari Hotel and Resort in Round Rock.
“Unfortunately, an opportunistic candidate for Congressional District 31 chose to turn this joyous occasion into a campaign gimmick for social media clout,” the Wilco GOP released a statement Wednesday. “The type of self-serving behavior displayed Saturday is unacceptable in this context, and this candidate has been informed that she is no longer permitted to attend our private events or meetings.”
Ms. Gomez posted videos that depict the actions leading up to the altercation on her social media. Videos show Ms. Gomez shaking Mr. Carter’s hand and asking him a question regarding what she claimed was an increased number of Muslim Mosques in Texas. Mr. Carter did not answer, but she followed up by asking why soldiers in the U.S. military were being “kicked out” for not taking the Covid-19 vaccine.
Witness Troy Evanovich — precinct chair No. 163 for the Wilco GOP — told the Sun that Ms. Gomez aggressively approached Mr. Carter to shake his hand and did not let go. He said the candidate’s brother, Michael Gomez, who is on active duty at Fort Hood in Killeen, allegedly shoved one of Mr. Carter’s bodyguards. Afterward, Mr. Carter was escorted out and the Gomezes were asked to leave by Round Rock Police.
“We were there peacefully celebrating with dinner and enjoying each other’s company,” Mr. Evanovich told the Sun Monday afternoon. “But [the Gomezes] were the perpetrator of violence. I have no tolerance for that kind of behavior. It’s a really bad deal. For as much as she dislikes Muslims, she is as radical as radical Islam.”
Ms. Gomez is running in District 31 on an anti-Islam platform and published a campaign video of herself burning a Quran with a flamethrower last year.
Mr. Evanovich said he filed a police report with RRPD as well as Fort Hood Provost Marshal’s Office – Fort Hood’s army law enforcement – for an investigation into Mr. Gomez.
Ms. Gomez posted a statement on her campaign Facebook page and disagreed with the narrative.
“I got criminally trespassed and almost arrested for asking 84-year-old Congressman John Carter two questions,” she wrote on Monday, January 26. “He is in WORSE shape than Joe Biden & the Texas GOP is covering this up.”
According to the Wilco GOP statement, at no time was anyone in attendance criminally trespassed or threatened with arrest.
The Sun reached out to Congressman Carter’s office for comment, but did not receive one by press time.