Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales abandoned his reelection bid after admitting to an affair with a staffer who later died by self-immolation.
Gonzales confirmed he will finish his current term but will not seek another term in Congress.
The announcement followed days of intense pressure from Republican leadership and mounting scrutiny over his relationship with former aide Regina Santos‑Aviles.
“After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek reelection while serving out the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I’ve always had to my district,” Gonzales said in a statement.
— Rep. Tony Gonzales (@RepTonyGonzales) March 6, 2026
The congressman added that he intends to complete his term with the same dedication to constituents that he has shown throughout his time in office.
The decision came after Gonzales acknowledged the affair following months of speculation and controversy.
He described the relationship as a personal failure. “I take full responsibility for those actions. Since then, I have reconciled with my wife, Angel. I’ve asked God to forgive me, which he has. And my faith is as strong as ever,” Gonzales said.
The scandal erupted after text messages surfaced showing sexually explicit conversations between Gonzales and Santos‑Aviles.
The messages included requests for provocative photographs and discussions about sexual preferences.
In one exchange, Santos‑Aviles responded to Gonzales’s request for a photo by writing, “this is going too far boss.”
Another message obtained by reporters showed Santos‑Aviles telling a coworker, “I had affair with boss.”
Santos‑Aviles died in September after setting herself on fire, intensifying scrutiny surrounding the relationship.
Congressional rules prohibit members from engaging in romantic relationships with subordinates, prompting an investigation by the House Ethics Committee.
The Office of Congressional Conduct had earlier concluded there was “substantial reason to believe” Gonzales engaged in the relationship.
Gonzales declined to confirm the authenticity of the released text messages and pointed to the ongoing investigation.
“I’ll let the investigation play out and share all the different details on it,” Gonzales said. “I will say there’s a whole lot more to the story.”
The controversy triggered sharp backlash from Republicans in Congress.
House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed that GOP leadership urged Gonzales to step aside from his campaign.
“Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election,” Johnson said in a joint statement with other Republican leaders.
Johnson acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations but cautioned against prejudging the outcome of the investigation.
“I’m not going to get into private conversations,” Johnson told reporters. “But I’ve told him to be forthright. Apparently now he’s doing that.”
The speaker also noted that the conduct itself was not illegal.
“Marital infidelity is not against the law,” Johnson said.
He later acknowledged that House rules do prohibit relationships with staff members and pointed to the Ethics Committee review.
“That’s being addressed. There is an investigation at Ethics. The OCC is on it. All those steps have already been taken and apparently were underway,” Johnson said.
The scandal erupted just as Gonzales faced a difficult primary contest in Texas’s 23rd Congressional District.
The congressman failed to secure a majority in the initial Republican primary and was headed for a runoff against gun rights activist and YouTuber Brandon Herrera.
With 99 percent of the vote counted, Herrera held a narrow lead with 43.3 percent while Gonzales captured 41.7 percent, according to the Associated Press.
Several Republican lawmakers demanded Gonzales step down entirely.
Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert issued a blunt call on social media.
“@RepTonyGonzales, RESIGN!” Boebert posted alongside images of the alleged text messages.
South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace accused Gonzales of inappropriate conduct toward his staffer and urged immediate accountability.
Mace also introduced a resolution seeking to force the release of Ethics Committee reports related to sexual misconduct by members of Congress.
Our resolution to expose predators in Congress was killed. Your government is more concerned with protecting predators than protecting women.
The establishment watches out for itself.
Remember this when they ask for your trust. This is what corruption looks like.
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) March 5, 2026
The House voted to send the measure to committee, effectively halting the effort.
Ethics Committee leaders warned that releasing internal materials could harm victims and witnesses.
“Victims may be re-traumatized by public disclosures of interim work product, excerpts of interview transcripts, and certain exhibits,” committee leaders said in a joint statement.
Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna blasted the decision during a committee hearing.
“I think it’s really disgusting how this institution protects itself,” Luna said.
“We just had a Member of Congress literally sexually harass a woman that then lit herself on fire and you all protected him!’” she added.
Luna also filed a censure resolution against Gonzales, one of the most serious punishments short of expulsion from Congress.
Despite Gonzales withdrawing from the race, Republicans will retain their narrow House majority for now.
The GOP currently holds a 218‑214 advantage heading toward the midterm elections.
The controversy unfolded alongside a separate political battle in Texas involving the Republican Senate primary.
President Donald Trump warned Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that it would be “bad for him” if he refuses to leave the race should Trump endorse Sen. John Cornyn.
Trump made the remark during an interview when asked about Paxton’s insistence that he would remain in the contest.
“Well, that’s bad for him to say,” Trump replied. “That is bad for him. So maybe, maybe that leads me to go the other direction.”
Paxton had earlier insisted he would stay in the race regardless of Trump’s endorsement decision.
“I’ve spent a year of my life campaigning against John Cornyn because John has not represented the people of Texas well,” Paxton said during an interview.
“Everything that Trump stood for, John Cornyn’s fought,” he added.
Trump has indicated he plans to issue an endorsement soon and has argued that the losing candidate should withdraw to unify the party.
Paxton suggested he might reconsider his position under certain circumstances.
He proposed dropping out if Senate leadership eliminated the filibuster and passed legislation requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune rejected that scenario when asked about Paxton’s conditions.
“You guys know where the votes are on the filibuster,” Thune told reporters. “That’s not going to happen.”
