Representative Wesley Hunt (R-TX) pushed back against a reporter’s question on Thursday about the declining number of Black Republicans in the House, particularly once the 2026 midterm elections are over.
Hunt blasted the question, pointing out that race should not be the focus, saying that what matters is whether members of Congress are qualified to do the job. He also criticized the idea, often raised by some on the left, that Black representatives should primarily represent majority-Black districts, noting that he represents a largely white district in Texas.
🚨 REP. WESLEY HUNT (R-TX) just gave the PERFECT response:
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 30, 2026
Q: There won't be any black Republicans left in the House?
HUNT: "It's not relevant."
"I'm not here because I'm black."
"I am here because I am a qualified representative for Congressional District 38."
"The American… pic.twitter.com/gsEXMWvViy
"There's been a lot of talk how there won't be any black Republican members in the new term," a reporter from the progressive outlet Miedas Touch asked. "What do you make of that?"
"Nothing. I don't understand how that's relevant," Rep. Hunt said.
"Is there a problem with like recruitment?" the reporter pressed.
"I don't think it's a problem with anything. I'm not here because I'm black. I am here because I'm a qualified representative for Congressional District 38, and the American people choose who they want to choose," Rep. Hunt replied. "And the one thing I don't want to get into is this game of race bait all day, every day. If there's four, if there's 10, if there's none. We are talking about is who is the best person that is best qualified to fill a seat regardless of the way that they look. And I tell people this all the time until I am blue in the face. I represent a white majority district that President Trump would have won by over 20 points. And I won by 25 points the last time I ran."
"I'm being judged not by the color of my skin, but by the content of my character," he added. "I don't care how many black people are here. I want the most qualified people that are here."
Rep. Hunt later addressed the question in a separate statement.
"Here’s how you flip a 'gotcha' question on race into reality," the Congressman wrote on X. "Americans don’t want quotas. They don’t want optics. They want results. The kind of representation this country actually demands is simple: QUALIFIED."
Here’s how you flip a “gotcha” question on race into reality:
— Wesley Hunt (@WesleyHuntTX) April 30, 2026
Americans don’t want quotas.
They don’t want optics.
They want results.
The kind of representation this country actually demands is simple:
QUALIFIED. https://t.co/hmhbnMbIQ5
The representative has been a passionate voice on the right, often criticizing Democrats for what he describes as an overemphasis on race and representation. Hunt frequently points to his own life as an example of Black success and has argued that, through hard work, Black Americans can achieve anything they want to in the United States.
🚨 HOLY CRAP. Rep. Wesley Hunt PUMMELS Gavin Newsom for saying "I'm just like you!" to black people by saying he gets low test scores and can't read
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 26, 2026
"Gavin, you're NOT LIKE ME. I studied my BUTT off to get here!" pic.twitter.com/Wb5CegBn2N
"Under NO circumstances are you going to…
