A Texas Democratic congressional campaign reported more than $4,300 in spending on cookies, Mexican food, beer and wine earlier this year, according to federal election records. The expenditures have drawn renewed scrutiny after a contentious debate in which the candidate apologized for saying her Republican opponent was “making fun of Nazis.”
Katy Padilla Stout, the Democratic nominee in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, reported five transactions totaling $4,338.14 in March and April, according to spending details cited by RedState in an August report and attributed to Federal Election Commission records.
The reported expenses included $675 for cookies at a campaign event, $1,289.22 at Total Wine and $2,373.92 at Las Guitarras Cocina Mexicana.
Republican candidate Brandon Herrera has made the spending part of his campaign’s criticism of Stout. His campaign website highlights the cookie purchase and accuses her of using donor money to pay for the treats.
The campaign reported a $675 payment on March 30 with the stated purpose “COOKIES FOR EVENT.” Herrera’s website lists Denise Gamboa Zelle as the payee and classifies the transaction as a campaign event expense.
The records also show two Total Wine purchases: $1,089.08 on April 21 and $200.14 the next day. Both transactions were described as “BEER AND WINE.”
The campaign reported two payments to Las Guitarras Cocina Mexicana as well—$2,027.52 on April 27 and $346.40 on April 28, according to the transaction details.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Stout said the expenses covered campaign and fundraising events attended by supporters.
“Sugar cookies, particularly Texas-shaped ones, hold a special place in Texan culture,” she said. “We bought ours at a local bakery because we believe in supporting small businesses.”
The filings confirm that the campaign reported the expenses, but they do not determine whether the purchases were improper, whether any items were used personally or how many people attended the events.
Herrera’s campaign has continued to spotlight the expenses through its opposition website, The Real Katy Stout.
A section titled “Cookie gate” features the $675 payment and repeats the reported purpose: “COOKIES FOR EVENT.”
The site also attacks Stout’s positions on immigration, taxes and other political issues.
The spending dispute comes as Stout and Herrera compete for a seat representing one of the nation’s largest congressional districts along the southern border. During a televised debate in San Antonio on Tuesday, Stout also faced criticism over comments about Herrera’s online videos.
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“He made millions of dollars after making jokes online, making fun of Nazis, making fun of all of these things that we know he does not need to be doing,” Stout said during a heated exchange.
Herrera replied, “And here I thought making fun of Nazis was a good thing.”
Stout apologized and clarified her remarks after the candidates delivered their closing statements.
“I apologize, I did misspeak,” she said. “He chooses to goose-step on YouTube for clickbait and money so that he can promote that type of ideology. He chooses to shame women.”
The debate, hosted by WOAI/KABB, also featured arguments over gun rights, immigration and the cost of living.
Stout later told Fox News Digital that “mocking Nazis is fine, and that is not what I objected to, nor is that what my opponent does.”
“I object to content that trivializes veteran suicide, rape, child murder, women’s bodies and the Holocaust, the type of content he churns out,” she added. “You can hear his disgusting commentary straight from his own mouth at HeReallySaidThat.com.
“Do I think he promotes Nazi imagery? Yes. In a video posted 5/24/22, he goose-steps to ‘Erika,’ and touts an MP-40 machine gun. In another video posted 6/23/20, he said ‘for the fatherland’ before firing a Nazi-made STG 44, calling it ‘like a religious experience.’
“Calling it a joke doesn’t change what it is: giving a platform to Nazi symbols and weaponry for clicks and money. In my view, the ‘I’m only joking’ defense is a familiar tactic among neo-Nazi and antisemitic content creators. His content has attracted bipartisan condemnation, including the Republican Jewish Coalition, which called my opponent ‘a goose-stepping extremist who pals around with online Nazis.’”
Stout, a former teacher and child welfare attorney, has emphasized affordability and corruption as central themes of her campaign.
Herrera, a firearms manufacturer and online personality who has adopted “Let’s Go Brandon” as his campaign slogan, has campaigned on border law enforcement, tax reductions and Second Amendment protections.
The two are vying to replace former Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, who resigned earlier this year after acknowledging an affair with a staffer.
Texas’ 23rd Congressional District stretches from the San Antonio area toward El Paso and includes hundreds of miles of the US-Mexico border. Early voting begins Oct. 19, with Election Day scheduled for Nov. 3.
The campaign for Brandon Herrera did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.