Brandon Dunn

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Brandon Dunn

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 5, 2024

Personal

Birthplace

Beeville, Texas

Religion

Christian, non-denominational

Profession

Auditor

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Brandon Dunn (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 35th Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on March 5, 2024.

Dunn completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Brandon Dunn was born in Beeville, Texas. His career experience includes working as an auditor.

Elections

2024

See also: Texas' 35th Congressional District election, 2024

Texas' 35th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Republican primary)

Texas' 35th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Texas District 35

Incumbent Greg Casar defeated Steven Wright in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 35 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Greg Casar (D)	67.4	170,509
		Steven Wright (R)	32.6	82,610

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 253,119
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Clark Patterson (L)

Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 35

Steven Wright defeated Michael Rodriguez in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Texas District 35 on May 28, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steven Wright	50.1	1,082
		Michael Rodriguez	49.9	1,077

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,159
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 35

Incumbent Greg Casar advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 35 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Greg Casar	100.0	28,830

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 28,830
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 35

Michael Rodriguez and Steven Wright advanced to a runoff. They defeated Dave Cuddy, Brandon Dunn, and Rod Lingsch in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 35 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Rodriguez	27.1	4,085
✔		Steven Wright	24.6	3,715
		Dave Cuddy	20.4	3,079
		Brandon Dunn	17.9	2,700
		Rod Lingsch	10.0	1,514

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 15,093
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 35

Clark Patterson advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Texas District 35 on March 23, 2024.

		Candidate
✔		Clark Patterson (L)

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Dunn in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Brandon Dunn completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dunn's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

A native Texan, Brandon was born and raised in a small south Texas ranching and oil community. Growing up on the family dairy, Brandon learned the value of hard work, community involvement, family value, and responsibility. After graduating high school and moving to San Marcos in the late 90’s to attend Texas State University, he now calls Hays County home. Brandon is a father is 5 children and lives in Buda with his wife, Janel. As a resident of Hays County for over 20 years, Brandon has seen the growth along the I-35 corridor firsthand.

Since the death of his son Noah in 2022, Brandon has forged strong, meaningful relationships with law enforcement and leaders not only in central Texas but throughout Texas and the United States. He continues to fight, alongside his wife, for meaningful change to create stronger families and safer communities throughout the country.

Brandon currently serves as a Loss Prevention Auditor for O’Reilly Auto Parts, spending much of his time traveling throughout the central Texas area where he has opportunities to meet and talk with residents of many Texas cities. He is also an active member of his church and serves his community through various volunteer and faith-building efforts.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I am a grassroots candidate whose sole interest is serving the constituents of my district and the citizens of the United States of America.
• I will work hard to make sure the needs of America and her citizens are always prioritized.
• I will not be bought out, intimidated, or canceled. I will remain true to my conservative, common sense, Christian roots and use them to guide my decision making.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Addressing the fentanyl epidemic in this country is one of my top priorities. We lost our 15 year old son to fentanyl in 2022. Since that time my wife and I have been working through our non-profit to raise awareness, pass meaningful fentanyl legislation in Texas, and to provide resources to communities across the state of Texas. I am disappointed with the lack of progress at the federal level to address this crisis. Well over a quarter of a million Americans have lost their lives to fentanyl in the last 24 months. We are losing the war against the Mexican drug cartels. The loss of American lives is the price we pay. Washington needs to take immediate and aggressive action to combat this threat to our country. If elected I will make it my mission to press the issue in Washington and create a sense of urgency on the matter.

We must also prioritize the economy. Americans are struggling to make ends meet,. Inflation is still at record highs and Americans are increasingly turning to credit cards to meet income shortfalls. There have been no solutions to these issues provided at the federal level. Washington must act quickly to get our economy back on track. Legislation must be passed that will ease the tax burden on the American people. This would be an immediate solution that would allow Americans to keep more of their income and be able to meet their financial needs.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Hard working, Honest, In touch with reality, frugal, pragmatic.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

.

What legacy would you like to leave?

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What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event that happened in my lifetime that I can recall was the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. I was 9 years old at the time.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first and only real job is with O'Reilly Automotive. I started at the San Marcos, TX location in March of 1999 and I am still employed with the company. I started as a parts specialist. In August of 2003 I was promoted to store manager at the location in Lockhart, TX. In 2005 I transferred to the store on Menchaca Rd in South Austin. I was the manager of that store until December of 2015. I then opened the store as manager in Kyle, TX. I ran that store until February of 2016 when I decided to become part of the Loss Prevention department. I have served as a Regional Loss Prevention Auditor since that time and still hold that position. I am responsible for 54 stores from Round Rock, down to Northwest San Antonio. My job duties include training store teams, performing operations audits, investigating loss, and interviewing team members for internal theft/fraud related losses.

What is your favorite book? Why?

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If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The fact that the House of Representatives in to consist of representative of the people of the United States. The lawmakers there are to listen and be responsive to the will of the constituents they represent.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

While experience can always be beneficial in most positions I do not believe it is necessarily true in politics. In fact, I believe most Americans are fed up with career politicians. The citizens of this country want representatives who are just like them. Who know and have oftentimes experienced the same issues that are affecting their lives. Most experienced career politicians are out of touch with the American public and end up serving their own interests more than those of their constituents.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

As stated before the fentanyl crisis is the greatest threat we face as a nation. The lethality of this poison and the lack of awareness of it by the general public is astounding. This drug, and the cartels that smuggle it into the United States are a direct threat to our national security and to the lives of American citizens. Congress must take swift action to deal with these threats.
Congress must also focus on the economy. We must incentivize business to return to America. We must remove bureaucratic policies and mandates that hinder companies that would operate in the US. Easing the tax burden of American citizens would also aid in the recovery of the economy.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes. Two year term limits insure that Representatives always remain focused on the will of the voters in their districts. It puts very real time constraints on them and insures they are making real progress on meaningful legislation.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I am a proponent of term limits. I do not believe that the Founding Fathers ever intended for politicians to serve for life nor to be full time employees. I believe representatives should serve their time and then return to their homes and continue to serve their communities/states locally.

Tell us your favorite joke.

.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

I believe compromise is the major thing that is lacking in the political process today. While there will always be non-negotiable issues, politicians should strive to work together as much as possible in order to do the will of the people.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

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What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Dunn’s campaign website stated the following:

“	Economy The economy is in a shambles right now. Green mandates and bureaucratic policies have crippled American industries causing many of our industries to leave the country. Record inflation has reduced the purchasing power of American citizens affecting middle- and low-income Americans the most. Rising energy costs are also hitting Americans in their pocketbooks. We need an immediate reversal of the policies that have decimated our country in just 2 short years. We must eliminate the green mandates that have crippled our industry and energy sectors. We must incentivize businesses that have left the country to return. We must reverse our reckless government spending and reign in the Federal Reserve to lower inflation. Fentanyl Fentanyl poisoning is the number one cause of death for Americans 18 to 45 years of age. Well over one hundred thousand Americans lost their lives to fentanyl and the death rate rises every year. The trends in Texas, especially House District 35, are no different. In 2022 Travis County led the State of Texas in fentanyl deaths per capita with 14.45 per 100000 people. Bexar County came in third with 8.32 deaths per 100000 people. Despite these statistics and the danger of illicit fentanyl there is little to no action being taken on the Federal level. Emphasis needs to be placed on securing the border and our ports of entry to prevent this poison from hitting our streets. Pressure needs to be placed on the drug cartels who manufacture and transport fentanyl. Pressure also needs to be placed on countries that support cartel activity by selling and delivering the precursor chemicals needed to manufacture fentanyl. I have experience working with local, state, and federal government as well as law enforcement agencies in central Texas in not only combating this epidemic but assisting those who have been affected by it. Backing Law Enforcement Our communities are the backbone of America. Over the past several years, there has been a concerted effort by the liberal left to defund and dismantle our police departments. This has led to police departments across the nation to deal with staffing shortages and the inability to respond to incidents in a timely manner. It has also led to increasing fear and uncertainty among many citizens about their safety and well-being. I am strong supporter of our men and women in law enforcement. I will do everything within my power to make sure that all law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to keep our communities safe. Securing the Border Securing the border needs to be a priority for the federal government. Drug and human trafficking, the influx of criminals and possible terrorists and an overwhelmed border patrol agency are issues that will only compound over time. I will do my part to advance legislation in a timely manner. Legislation that puts America’s safety first. Immigration America had an effective immigration policy that was scrapped as soon as the Biden Administration took office. I will do my part to make sure the policies that worked in the past are reinstated and the disastrous policies that are in place are eliminated. Government Spending The Federal Government must make a balanced budget a priority. An over bloated bureaucracy has led to massive Federal debt which will plague our country for generations to come. We are stuck in a downward spiral of ever-increasing debts with annual arguments about raising the debt ceiling. This is not a solution. It merely kicks the can down the road. We must stop kicking the can.	”
—Brandon Dunn’s campaign website (2024)

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Brandon Dunn campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Texas District 35	Lost primary	$0	N/A**
Grand total			$0	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

See also

2024 Elections

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Government

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Newsletters

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External links

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Candidate

U.S. House Texas District 35

Website

Facebook

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Footnotes

[show]

Texas' current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

John Cornyn (R)

Ted Cruz (R)

Representatives

District 1

Nathaniel Moran (R)

District 2

Daniel Crenshaw (R)

District 3

Keith Self (R)

District 4

Pat Fallon (R)

District 5

Lance Gooden (R)

District 6

Jake Ellzey (R)

District 7

Lizzie Fletcher (D)

District 8

Morgan Luttrell (R)

District 9

Al Green (D)

District 10

Michael McCaul (R)

District 11

August Pfluger (R)

District 12

Craig Goldman (R)

District 13

Ronny Jackson (R)

District 14

Randy Weber (R)

District 15

Monica De La Cruz (R)

District 16

Veronica Escobar (D)

District 17

Pete Sessions (R)

District 18

Vacant

District 19

Jodey Arrington (R)

District 20

Joaquin Castro (D)

District 21

Chip Roy (R)

District 22

Troy Nehls (R)

District 23

Tony Gonzales (R)

District 24

Beth Van Duyne (R)

District 25

Roger Williams (R)

District 26

Brandon Gill (R)

District 27

Michael Cloud (R)

District 28

Henry Cuellar (D)

District 29

Sylvia Garcia (D)

District 30

Jasmine Crockett (D)

District 31

John Carter (R)

District 32

Julie Johnson (D)

District 33

Marc Veasey (D)

District 34

Vicente Gonzalez (D)

District 35

Greg Casar (D)

District 36

Brian Babin (R)

District 37

Lloyd Doggett (D)

District 38

Wesley Hunt (R)

Republican Party (27)

Democratic Party (12)

Vacancies (1)