A Texas Democratic congressional candidate is facing scrutiny after federal election records revealed that her campaign spent more than $4,300 on cookies, alcoholic beverages and Mexican restaurant purchases, providing fresh ammunition for her Republican opponent ahead of the November midterm elections.
Katy Padilla Stout, the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, reported five transactions totaling $4,338.14 during March and April 2026, according to Federal Election Commission records cited by Fox News.
The expenditures included $675 for cookies, more than $1,200 for beer and wine, and nearly $2,400 in purchases from a Mexican restaurant.
The spending has become a campaign issue as Stout faces Republican Brandon Herrera in the November 3 election.
According to the reported filings, Stout’s campaign made a $675 payment March 30 for an expense described as “COOKIES FOR EVENT.”
Additional expenditures included two purchases at Total Wine, totaling $1,289.22, made April 21 and April 22.
Both transactions were categorized as “BEER AND WINE.”
The campaign also reported spending $2,027.52 at Las Guitarras Cocina Mexicana on April 27, followed by another $346.40 transaction the next day.
Together, the restaurant purchases totaled $2,373.92.
Stout defended the expenses in a statement to Fox News Digital, explaining that the purchases were connected to campaign activities rather than personal spending.
The disbursements “were for campaign and fundraising events which were attended by our supporters,” she said.
She also defended the decision to purchase hundreds of dollars worth of cookies.
“Sugar cookies, particularly Texas-shaped ones, hold a special place in Texan culture,” Stout explained.
“We bought ours at a local bakery because we believe in supporting small businesses.”
The reported purchases have drawn criticism from Herrera, whose campaign has highlighted the spending on an opposition website targeting his Democratic opponent.
Under a section labeled “Cookie-gate,” the website displays the $675 transaction and identifies its stated purpose as purchasing cookies for a campaign event.
However, the campaign finance disclosures do not establish that the expenses violated election laws or were used for personal purposes.
The spending controversy follows a heated televised debate Tuesday in San Antonio, where Stout faced additional criticism over comments concerning Herrera’s online content.
During the exchange, Stout accused Herrera of profiting from controversial videos involving Nazi references.
“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.
Herrera quickly responded to the remark.
“And here I thought making fun of Nazis was a good thing,” he said.
Stout later acknowledged that she had misspoken and attempted to clarify her criticism.
“I apologize, I did misspeak,” she said.
She went on to accuse Herrera of using Nazi-related imagery and references in his YouTube videos to attract attention and generate revenue.
In a subsequent statement to Fox News Digital, Stout maintained that her objection concerned what she characterized as the trivialization of serious historical events.
“Mocking Nazis is fine, and that is not what I objected to,” she said.
The candidates are competing for the congressional seat previously held by Republican Tony Gonzales, who resigned earlier this year after acknowledging an affair with a staff member, per the New York Post.
Stout, a former teacher and child welfare attorney, has emphasized affordability and government accountability throughout her campaign.
Herrera, a firearms manufacturer and online personality, has focused on border security, tax reductions and Second Amendment protections.
Texas’ 23rd Congressional District stretches from the San Antonio area toward El Paso and includes a substantial portion of the U.S.-Mexico border.
With early voting beginning October 19, the dispute over Stout’s campaign expenditures adds another issue to an already contentious congressional contest.
