Rep. Tony Gonzales pulled into GOP primary runoff amid allegations he had an affair with a staffer
#Tony Gonzales #Republican primary runoff #affair allegations #Brandon Herrera #ethics probe #Texas congressional race #Regina Santos-Aviles
📌 Key Takeaways
- Rep. Tony Gonzales forced into GOP primary runoff in Texas
- Campaign centered on allegations of affair with staffer who died by suicide
- Gonzales faces ethics probe while denying affair allegations
- Pro-gun activist Brandon Herrera advanced to runoff against Gonzales
- Gonzales previously crossed party lines on key votes, drawing criticism
📖 Full Retelling
Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican congressman from Texas, was forced into a primary runoff on March 4, 2026, amid allegations he had an affair with a congressional staffer who died by suicide in 2025, facing pro-gun activist Brandon Herrera in the next round of the GOP nomination contest. The campaign was heavily shaped by these allegations, which resurfaced last month when the staffer's widower publicly accused Gonzales, with news organizations including NBC News reporting that the congressman had sent sexual text messages to the former employee, Regina Santos-Aviles. Despite President Donald Trump's endorsement, Gonzales' political standing significantly deteriorated as Herrera relentlessly attacked him over the alleged affair throughout the campaign, while the Office of Congressional Conduct completed an ethics probe into the matter, though House rules prevented the report from being transmitted to the House Ethics Committee right before the election. Gonzales has consistently denied having an affair with Santos-Aviles, accusing Herrera of stoking what he claims are politically motivated allegations, and also accusing the staffer's widower and his lawyer of blackmail, though his office has not responded to questions about whether he stands by his previous denials.
🏷️ Themes
Political scandal, Republican primary, Ethics investigation, Congressional race
📚 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...
Brandon Herrera
American YouTuber (born 1995)
Brandon Herrera (born November 20, 1995), also known as The AK Guy, is an American YouTuber, firearms manufacturer, and political candidate, whose videos primarily focus on firearms. Herrera was a candidate in the race to represent Texas's 23rd congressional district in 2024, but lost by approximat...
Entity Intersection Graph
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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Brandon Herrera
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Mentioned Entities
Original Source
BREAKING NEWS Mar. 4, 2026, 6:02 AM UTC 2026 Election Rep. Tony Gonzales pulled into GOP primary runoff amid allegations he had an affair with a staffer Republican challenger Brandon Herrera attacked him over the alleged affair throughout the campaign, and the Texas incumbent is facing an ethics probe. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, at the U.S. Capitol in March 2025. Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images file Share Add NBC News to Google By Ben Kamisar Listen to this article with a free account 00:00 00:00 Rep. Tony Gonzales will face another round in his Republican primary after he was pulled into a runoff in Texas, NBC News projects, following a campaign shaped by allegations that he had an affair with a staffer in his congressional office who died by suicide last year. Brandon Herrera, a pro-gun activist, advanced to a one-on-one runoff against Gonzales for the Republican nomination after no one in the primary got a majority. Herrera forced Gonzales to a runoff in 2024, in his first bid for office, but fell just a few hundred votes of toppling him. While Gonzales had an endorsement from President Donald Trump this time to help him hang on to his seat, his political standing took a major hit after the affair allegation resurfaced last month. Gonzales had denied having an affair with the former staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles. But the allegations drew new attention after Santos-Aviles’ widower publicly accused Gonzales. News organizations, including NBC News, reported that Gonzales had sent sexual text messages to Santos-Aviles. Gonzales has not addressed the substance of the allegation since it resurfaced, and his office did not respond to repeated questions about whether he stands by his previous denials. Instead, he has accused Herrera of stoking the allegations, which he has claimed are politically motivated, and accused Santos-Aviles’ widower and his lawyer of blackmailing him. Two sources familiar with the investigation told NBC News last month that the Offi...
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