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GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales drops re-election bid amid ethics probe into his affair with a staffer
Rep. Tony Gonzales faced pressure from GOP leaders and a House Ethics Committee probe after admitting an affair with a late staffer; he will serve out his term but not seek reelection.
- Thursday, Gonzales announced on X he would not seek re-election, stating, 'After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election while serving out this Congress,' Gonzales said.
- The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into whether Gonzales "engaged in sexual misconduct" earlier this week, while top House Republican leaders urged him to withdraw amid public release of explicit texts from May 2024 as early voting unfolded.
- Regina Ann Santos-Aviles died in September 2025 in Uvalde, Texas, and the medical examiner ruled her death a suicide; Gonzales said he had "absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing" and took responsibility for his mistake.
- Gonzales's departure clears the path for Brandon Herrera, while the 218-214 Republican congressional majority makes Gonzales's decision to remain crucial, and House GOP leadership including Speaker Mike Johnson urged the Ethics Committee to act expeditiously.
- The Ethics Committee's jurisdiction is limited to sitting lawmakers, and the Office of Congressional Conduct completed its inquiry within 60 days of Gonzales's primary, affecting result publication timing.
159 Articles
159 Articles
How the flood of retiring Republicans signals a growing blue wave
Skeezy GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas announced late Thursday night that he is acquiescing to GOP leaders’ demands and dropping his reelection bid amid a disturbing affair scandal, bringing the total number of Republicans not returning to the House to 34. According to data from the Wall Street Journal, that is the same number of Republicans who chose to either retire or run for other offices in 2018, President Donald Trump’s first midterm elect…
GOP Rep. Gonzales ending reelection bid after admitting to affair with late staffer
By Sarah Ferris, Ellis Kim, CNN (CNN) — GOP Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales said he is ending his reelection bid after admitting to an affair with a former staffer who later died by suicide. “After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election while serving out the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I’ve always had to my district,” he said in a statement posted on X late Thursday night. Gon…
House Reinforces Anti-Harassment Efforts as Scandal Sinks GOP Rep
House lawmakers push anti-sexual harassment efforts as a representative announced Thursday that he will finish out his term but “not seek re-election” after he faced widespread scrutiny for an affair with his staffer. That affair ultimately resulted in her suicide. “I have decided not to seek re-election while serving out the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I’ve always had to my district,” Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, said on X. “…
Republican Congressman Announces He Will NOT Seek Re-Election After Admitting To Affair With Staffer
There will no longer be a run-off election for Texas’s 23rd Congressional District. As the WLT Report previously covered, on Thursday, Representative Tony Gonzales (R-TX) admitted he had an affair with a former staffer who later committed suicide after setting herself on fire. Rep. Gonzales made the confession after failing to secure the votes needed to win his Republican primary, forcing him into a runoff against his opponent, Brandon Herrera. …
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