Texas Republican congressional candidate Valentina Gomez has sparked outrage online after posting a video on X in which she is seen setting the Islamic holy book, the Quran, on fire.
The video, captioned “I will end Islam in Texas, so help me God”, quickly went viral, drawing widespread condemnation from Muslim advocacy groups, political leaders, and social media users.
This is not the first time Gomez has sparked controversy. In May 2025, she stormed the stage at a Muslim civic engagement event at the Texas State Capitol, grabbed the microphone, and launched into an anti-Islam tirade.
Footage shared online showed her declaring: “Islam has no place in Texas. Elect me to Congress so we can end the Islamisation of America. I only fear God.” The event, known as Texas Muslim Capitol Day, featured prayers, training sessions, and meetings with lawmakers.
Her actions drew sharp criticism from civil rights groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which condemned her remarks as dangerous and urged accountability, while stressing the need to safeguard religious freedom.
The Quran-burning incident now adds to her string of provocative stunts.
In December 2024, Gomez released a campaign video depicting the mock execution of a hooded immigrant, in which she called for “public executions” of undocumented migrants accused of violent crimes. Social media platforms restricted the footage for violating rules on violent content.
Earlier this year, she recorded herself burning LGBTQ+ literature, vowing to ban such material if elected, while also making remarks targeting transgender communities.
Who is Valentina Gomez?
Born in Medellín, Colombia, on May 8, 1999, Gomez moved to the US with her family in 2009, settling in Jersey City, New Jersey. Before entering politics, she worked as a real estate investor. In 2024, she ran unsuccessfully for Missouri Secretary of State, finishing sixth in the Republican primary with just 7.4% of the vote.
Despite repeated electoral defeats and multiple social media bans for violating platform rules, Gomez has continued to build her profile online with provocative content, positioning herself as a far-right figure unafraid of controversy.
