Congressional candidate John Huffman says George Santos apologized for protest video

Southlake mayor and congressional candidate John Huffman said Saturday that expelled former U.S. Rep. George Santos of New York has apologized for a video accusing Huffman of siding with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Santos apologized for the video Friday in a meeting with Huffman, U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne and syndicated radio talk show host Dana Loesch at a Southlake restaurant, Huffman said.

Huffman is one of 11 candidates for the open U.S. House District 26 seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess. The district covers south and east Denton County, Cooke County and south Wise County.

The video set off a torrid social media response Friday when Loesch and a Santos assistant exchanged sharp barbs on X, formerly Twitter, over photos of a social justice rally on June 6, 2020, in Southlake Town Square.

Loesch accused “Big Con grifters from NY” of attacking Huffman over the rally. Huffman joined then-Southlake Mayor Laura Hill at the rally as Hill spoke to a crowd of about 1,000 mostly young people, urging calm.

Santos, the first Republican ever expelled from Congress, is facing up to 22 years in federal prison on 23 felony counts alleging financial fraud. He earns money sending personal greetings as celebrity messages on Cameo.com, he has said.

Santos replied to Loesch that the video was paid anonymously and “I don’t even know who the candidates are.” He happened to be in Dallas, he said, asking, “Highland Park country club for drinks? Hahaha.”

The Cameo video was posted Jan. 29 on X. It starts with Santos shouting, “Hey, Mayor John Huffman!” He says he doubts voters would support anyone who “supports BLM and attended a BLM rally.”

No retraction had been posted by Santos as of late Saturday.

The Southlake Peaceful Protest was organized by a high school club after the May 25 murder of former Houston resident George Floyd, 46, by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Huffman did not speak. He accompanied Hill because city police had received threats of violence, he said.

On her Feb. 1 radio show, Loesch, a Southlake resident and nationally syndicated radio host, told her audience she was also at the 2020 rally and that Hill and Huffman went to keep the peace.

Hill also faced similar campaign accusations in her 2022 Republican primary runoff loss to now-state Rep. Nate Schatzline.

Santos was “taken advantage of by liars” who ordered the video, Huffman said.

He did not name an opponent, saying only: “There is some strategy and shenanigans afoot. That’s primary politics for you.”

Huffman’s $303,084 raised so far is second only to Flower Mound Republican Brandon Gill ($478,700). Gill has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson and former Trump national security advisor Michael Flynn.

Next are Dallas Republican Luisa Del Rosal ($189,200), former District Judge Doug Robison of Denton ($110,650) and former Denton County Judge Scott Armey ($95,425). Armey is endorsed by former U.S. Rep. Dick Armey and U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm.

Late Friday, Loesch posted a photo of herself with Huffman, Santos and Van Duyne hugging and smiling.

Her post: “Cheers to Friday!”