Rep. Tony Gonzales ends reelection bid after admitting affair with aide

Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas said on March 5 that he will withdraw from his reelection campaign after admitting an affair with a former staff member and that he will finish out his current term. Posting on X, Gonzales said, "After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election."

The announcement followed days of mounting pressure from House GOP leaders and colleagues who urged him to step aside. A joint leadership statement from Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Whip Tom Emmer and GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain said, "We have encouraged him to address these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues. ... In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for reelection."

Gonzales confirmed on the Joe Pags podcast that he had an extramarital relationship with a staff member. On the podcast he said, "I had a lapse in judgement and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions," and added, "I've asked God for forgiveness, which he has, and my faith is as strong as ever." He also told the program, "I had absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing," and, "I was shocked just as much as everyone else."

The former staffer has been identified as Regina Santos-Aviles. She died in September 2025 after setting herself on fire near her home in Uvalde, Texas; the medical examiner ruled her death a suicide, a detail reported by CBS News and cited by the BBC. Reporting by national outlets and local newspapers also detailed messages and text exchanges that surfaced during the weeks before Gonzales' admission, including reporting that Gonzales sent sexually explicit texts in May 2024.

The House Ethics Committee announced it was launching an investigation into whether Gonzales "engaged in sexual misconduct" toward an employee in the hours before his public admission, an inquiry that could lead to disciplinary measures. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna introduced two resolutions seeking to remove Gonzales from his assignments on the House Appropriations and Homeland Security committees and to censure him.

Gonzales' decision comes as he faced a May runoff against Brandon Herrera, a gun manufacturer and YouTube gun-rights influencer who narrowly lost to Gonzales in the 2024 primary. Some Republicans said the withdrawal "appears to clear the field" ahead of the runoff; USA TODAY and other outlets cited May 26 as the runoff date. Texas Republicans including Monica De La Cruz, Brandon Gill and Chip Roy publicly called on Gonzales to drop out, while Democrat Rep. Veronica Escobar urged his resignation. Texas Tribune reporting noted that President Donald Trump has not publicly weighed in since the scandal surfaced.

Beyond immediate political fallout, the episode highlights broader institutional questions about protections for congressional staff, the handling of allegations of misconduct inside lawmakers' offices and the resources available to people in rural and border communities who face mental health crises. Gonzales has said he will remain in Congress, arguing his vote matters for a narrow Republican majority of 218-214, and the Ethics Committee inquiry and Luna's resolutions are likely to shape whether he keeps committee roles and his standing among colleagues.

As the congressional inquiry proceeds, the 23rd District's primary landscape and the party's fragile House majority are now in flux, while families and advocates press for clearer safeguards and support in the wake of a tragic death linked to workplace misconduct.