Texas lawmaker ends re-election bid after admitting to affair with ex-staffer

Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales is ending his re-election campaign after admitting to an affair with a former staffer who later died by suicide. The announcement follows pressure from Republican leadership and the opening of a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and preferential treatment. Gonzales will serve out his current term. The investigation was prompted by the affair with Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, who died in September at age 35. House Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders urged Gonzales to withdraw from the race after his admission. Gonzales was headed for a May runoff election against Brandon Herrera.

House Republican leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson, are urging Texas Representative Tony Gonzales to withdraw from his reelection race after he admitted to having an affair with a former staff member. The announcement came after Gonzales acknowledged the relationship and the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into his conduct. The former staff member, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, died by suicide in Uvalde, Texas. While some Republicans have called for Gonzales to resign and Representative Anna Paulina Luna introduced resolutions to punish him, GOP leaders have stopped short of demanding his resignation. Gonzales, who is currently in his third term, has stated he does not intend to step down.

Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales admitted to an affair with staff member Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide in September 2023. The admission came after Gonzales previously denied the relationship and as a House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into potential sexual misconduct and misuse of privileges. The investigation will examine if Gonzales unfairly favored Santos-Aviles. Gonzales maintains her death was unrelated to the affair and that she received a standard pay raise. The controversy surfaces ahead of a May primary run-off election where Gonzales seeks to retain his seat in the heavily Republican-leaning district. He faces calls for his resignation from some Republicans.

The House Ethics Committee has launched an investigation into Texas Republican Representative Tony Gonzales following allegations of an affair with a former aide. The committee will examine claims of sexual misconduct and whether Gonzales unfairly granted special favors to the employee. The investigation follows reports by the San Antonio Express-News of text messages suggesting an affair between Gonzales and Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide in September 2023. Gonzales, who is in his third term, denies the allegations and says all the facts have not been revealed. He recently faced a primary challenge and will be in a May runoff election.

Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales is facing a tough primary challenge amidst allegations of an affair with a staffer who later died. Gonzales, who has denied calls for his resignation, is running against Republican challenger Brandon Herrera in Texas' 23rd district. Herrera, a gun manufacturer, narrowly lost to Gonzales in the 2024 primary. Despite the controversy, Gonzales has received an endorsement from Donald Trump. Gonzales, a Navy veteran who first won his seat in 2020, represents a district stretching along the U.S.-Mexico border from western San Antonio to El Paso. He claims that "not all the facts" regarding the allegations have been revealed.