GOP leaders urge Gonzales to drop reelection bid over affair scandal
#GOP #Gonzales #reelection #affair #scandal #withdraw #campaign
📌 Key Takeaways
- GOP leaders are pressuring Representative Gonzales to withdraw from his reelection campaign.
- The pressure stems from a recently revealed affair scandal involving Gonzales.
- The scandal is seen as potentially damaging to the party's electoral prospects.
- GOP leadership is prioritizing party unity and electoral success over individual candidacies.
📖 Full Retelling
The Texas Republican admitted Wednesday that he had a relationship with the staffer, who later died by suicide.
🏷️ Themes
Political Scandal, Party Pressure
📚 Related People & Topics
Republican Party (United States)
American political party
The Republican Party, commonly known as the Grand Old Party (GOP), is the major conservative and right-wing political party in the United States. It emerged as the main rival of the Democratic Party in the 1850s, and the two parties have dominated American politics since then. The Republican Party w...
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Original Source
Politics GOP leaders urge Tony Gonzales to drop reelection bid after he admitted affair with aide By Caitlin Yilek Caitlin Yilek Politics Reporter Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation. Read Full Bio Caitlin Yilek Updated on: March 5, 2026 / 2:05 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — House GOP leadership called on Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas to end his campaign for reelection over a scandal stemming from his affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. "The Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales's conduct, and we urge them to act expeditiously. Congressman Gonzales has said he will fully cooperate with the investigation. We have encouraged him to address these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues. In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election," a statement from GOP leadership said Thursday. The statement came from House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota and GOP conference chairwoman Lisa McClain of Michigan. Gonzales, whose Tuesday primary advanced to a May runoff, admitted Wednesday that he had a relationship with the staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles. "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 conservative radio host Joe Pags . According to a text exchange from May 2024 obtained by CBS News, Gonzales sent explicit messages to Santos-Aviles, asking her to send a "sexy pic" and what her "favorite position" is. Santos-Aviles told Gonzales: "This is going too far boss." Santos-Aviles died in September 2025 after se...
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