GOP Gonzales drops reelection

Tony Gonzales drops reelection bid among pressure from GOP

The Texas representative had faced growing calls to resign from members of his own party after allegations of an affair with a staffer surfaced.

By Cheyanne M. Daniels and Mia McCarthy

Scandal-plagued Rep. Tony Gonzales announced late Thursday night he will not seek re-election, ending a runoff between him and gun influencer Brandon Herrera.

“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 (R-Texas) said in a statement. “Through the rest of my term, I will continue fighting for my constituents, for whom I am eternally grateful.”

The decision comes after pressure from within his conference, including GOP leaders who urged him to end his re-election bid in a joint statement Thursday. But leaders declined to call for him to resign on Thursday, as they navigate near-zero Republican margins in the House.

Gonzales was facing extensive criticism after he admitted to a sexual relationship with a staffer who later died by suicide.

Reporting in the San Antonio Express-News and 24SightNews revealed text messages that allegedly showed him pursuing a then-staffer for a sexual relationship. POLITICO has not independently confirmed the texts.

Gonzales had previously denied the accusations as “rumors” that “are completely untruthful” before admitting to the affair with Regina Santos-Aviles earlier this month.

“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 told radio host Joe Pagliarulo shortly after the primary.

But, Gonzales added, the affair had “absolutely nothing to do with” Santos-Aviles’ death. She died in 2025.

The House Ethics Committee also recently launched a formal investigation into Gonzales. POLITICO previously reported that the nonpartisan Office of Congressional Conduct found “a substantial reason to believe” that Gonzales had a sexual relationship with a subordinate, which would be an apparent violation of House rules.

A handful of GOP members called for Gonzales to resign or end his reelection campaign, a number which grew after he publicly admitted to the affair. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) — who endorsed Gonzales before the accusations arose — along with other members of party leadership called for Gonzales to end his congressional bid shortly after the primary.

“The Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales’s conduct, and we urge them to act expeditiously,” Johnson and the three other highest-ranking House Republicans said in a statement. “In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election.”

Democrats believe that the seat in Texas’ 23rd congressional district could be competitive in the fall with Herrera as the nominee.