Texas Rep. Gonzales resists calls to resign over allegations of an affair with an ex-staffer who died
#Tony Gonzales #Republican Resignation #Affair Allegations #Former Staffer Death #Texas Primary #House Ethics #Political Blackmail #Donald Trump Endorsement
📌 Key Takeaways
- Rep. Tony Gonzales refuses to resign despite calls from fellow Republicans over affair allegations
- The allegations involve a former staffer who died by self-immolation in September 2025
- Gonzales faces a tough Republican primary on March 3 against Brandon Herrera
- House Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledges seriousness of accusations but emphasizes investigation process
📖 Full Retelling
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas resisted growing calls Tuesday from fellow congressional Republicans to resign over a report of an alleged affair with a former staffer who later died after she set herself on fire, as the congressman faces a tough Republican primary race on March 3. Several prominent Republican lawmakers including Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Nancy Mace of South Carolina demanded that Gonzales step down immediately. Gonzales, who is defending his congressional seat against Brandon Herrera, a gun rights influencer he narrowly defeated in a 2024 GOP runoff by fewer than 400 votes, told reporters he will not resign. The congressman, whose district stretches from San Antonio to El Paso along the U.S.-Mexico border, has six children with his wife and suggested in a social media post that he is the target of 'coordinated political attacks.' The allegations stem from text messages reportedly obtained by the San Antonio Express-News in which the former staffer, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, wrote to a colleague about having an affair with the lawmaker. Santos-Aviles, 35, died in September 2025 after setting herself on fire in the backyard of her Uvalde home, with the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office ruling her death as a suicide by self-immolation. Gonzales has claimed he was being blackmailed based on an email from the attorney for the staffer's husband discussing a potential settlement, though the husband has denied this and called the accusation an attempt by the congressman to appear as a political victim.
🏷️ Themes
Political Scandal, Republican Party Dynamics, Congressional Ethics
📚 Related People & Topics
Tony Gonzales
American politician (born 1980)
# Tony Gonzales **Ernest Anthony Gonzales II** (born October 10, 1980) is an American politician and United States Navy veteran serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 23rd congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he assumed office in 2021. His district is notable for encomp...
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Connections for Tony Gonzales:
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Sexual misconduct
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House Republican Conference
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Suicide
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Uvalde
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Republican Party
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Original Source
By — John Hanna, Associated Press John Hanna, Associated Press By — Juan A. Lozano, Associated Press Juan A. Lozano, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Texas Rep. Gonzales resists calls to resign over allegations of an affair with an ex-staffer who died Politics Feb 24, 2026 8:24 PM EST HOUSTON — U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas resisted growing calls Tuesday from fellow congressional Republicans to resign over a report of an alleged affair with a former staffer who later died after she set herself on fire. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky joined Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Nancy Mace of South Carolina in demanding that Gonzales step down immediately. Gonzales is in a tough race in Texas' Republican primary on March 3, facing a challenger he narrowly defeated in a 2024 GOP runoff. He told reporters he will not resign. A resignation would leave Republicans with a 217-214 majority until March, when the first of three special elections to fill vacancies is set in Georgia. "There will be opportunities for all of the details and facts to come out," he said. "What you've seen is not all the facts." House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would talk to Gonzales on Tuesday. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. Johnson said Monday that the accusations against Gonzales "must be taken seriously," but he added, "in every case like this, you have to allow the investigation to play out and all the facts to come out." "If the accusation of something is going to be the litmus for someone being able to continue to serve in the House, a lot of people would have to resign or be removed or expelled from Congress," Johnson said. Meanwhile, Mace announced that she has i...
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