Gordon Ryan has publicly backed his student Valentina Gomez Noriega in her bid for Texas’ 31st Congressional District, offering an endorsement as unconventional as the candidate herself.
In a video , Ryan recounted an unusual moment from a recent training session.
“So Valentina came in for a class today and she brought me an envelope that says open me after as a submission prediction and then inside of it is a photo of a pis tol,”
Ryan explained, responding with visible approval:
“That’s incredible.”
The gesture reflects Gomez Noriega’s characteristic approach to politics, one that has made her a polarizing figure since her unsuccessful 2024 run for Missouri Secretary of State. In that race, she garnered 48,003 votes in the Republican primary, finishing sixth in an eight-candidate field with 7.5 percent of the vote.
Now the Colombian-born candidate has shifted her sights to Texas, where she’s competing in a crowded Republican primary field of twelve candidates for the March 3, 2026 election. Among her opponents is incumbent John Carter, who has represented the district since its creation.
Gomez Noriega holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Connecticut State University, earned in 2019, and a graduate degree from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business from 2020. According to campaign finance records, her congressional bid has raised $27,757 while spending $9,451 as of the most recent filing period.
The endorsement comes at an awkward moment for Ryan personally. His rival Craig Jones has spent recent weeks targeting him on social media following the arrest of Nathalia Amato Santoro, identified in court documents as Ryan’s spouse. Santoro faces multiple charges stemming from two separate October incidents in Travis County, Texas, including evading detention using a motor vehicle and reckless driving.
Bond was set at $3,000 for each case. Court records show Santoro posted bond on October 17, with additional restrictions later added prohibiting operation of vehicles without a valid license and insurance.
The situation has drawn particular scrutiny given Ryan’s public positioning as a supporter of law enforcement and first responders, combined with his advocacy for strict immigration policies while married to a Brazilian citizen who now faces legal charges.
Ryan has not publicly addressed the arrests or Jones’s commentary.
Despite the personal turmoil, Ryan has maintained his training schedule and continues coaching students like Gomez Noriega, whose congressional campaign represents another chapter in her rapid political ascent. Whether voters in Texas’ 31st District will embrace her unconventional style remains to be seen when they head to the polls next March.
The general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, where the Republican nominee will face Democratic candidates and Green Party candidate Greg Stoker.
