WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas announced late Thursday that he is ending his bid for re-election after admitting to a past affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide. He said he will complete his current term in Congress.
Gonzales faced growing pressure from GOP leaders and other lawmakers to leave the race following his admission. On Tuesday he had been headed for a May runoff with Brandon Herrera, a gun maker and YouTube influencer who narrowly lost to him in the 2024 primary; Gonzales’ withdrawal effectively clears the field.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP leadership — including Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Whip Tom Emmer and Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain — had urged Gonzales to address the allegations publicly and asked him to withdraw from the race. Johnson had been under heavy pressure from members of his own conference to take action.
Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has introduced two resolutions targeting Gonzales: one to remove him from his House Appropriations and Homeland Security committee assignments and another to censure him. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he would back efforts to expel Gonzales, a step that would require a two-thirds vote of the chamber. GOP leaders, mindful of their slim House majority, did not call for Gonzales to resign his seat.
Gonzales acknowledged the relationship during an appearance on the Joe Pags Show. The former staff member, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, 35, died after setting herself on fire at her home in Uvalde, Texas; the Bexar County Medical Examiner later ruled her death a suicide. Gonzales said he had not spoken with Santos-Aviles since June 2024 and denied any role in her death, calling her passing “tragic” and saying he was as shocked as everyone else.
“I made a mistake and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions,” Gonzales said. He added that he has reconciled with his wife, Angel, sought forgiveness from God and welcomed an investigation by the House Ethics Committee. GOP leaders urged the committee to move quickly.
Gonzales, a father of six, is serving his third term. He first won the seat in 2020 after a 20-year Navy career that included deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Under House ethics rules, members may not engage in sexual relationships with employees under their supervision.
