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WASHINGTON — Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) announced late Thursday evening he will not seek re-election, bowing out of his May 26 primary runoff shortly after House GOP leadership publicly called on him to withdraw amid fallout from his admission of an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.
In a statement, Gonzales framed his exit around his military and congressional record, with no direct mention of the scandal that had consumed his final weeks as a candidate.
“At 18, I swore an oath to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. During my 20 years in the military and three terms in Congress, I have fought for that cause with absolute dedication to the country that I love,” he said. “From overcoming the border crisis to taking a stand with my communities after the worst school shooting in Texas’ history, my philosophy has never changed: Do as much as you can, and always fight for the greater good.”
“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. Through the rest of my term, I will continue fighting for my constituents, for whom I am eternally grateful,” he added.
The announcement came hours after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) issued a joint statement urging Gonzales to step aside and calling on the House Ethics Committee to act swiftly on its investigation into his conduct.
Gonzales had publicly admitted the affair earlier in the week in an interview with conservative radio host Joe Pags, acknowledging a relationship with Regina Santos-Aviles, a married mother of one who served as his regional director. Santos-Aviles died Sept. 14, 2025, after sustaining injuries from a fire in her backyard in Uvalde, Texas. The county medical examiner ruled her death the result of self-immolation.
Text messages obtained by 24Sight News from a forensic extraction of Santos-Aviles’ phone showed Gonzales asking her about sexual preferences and requesting photos during a late-night exchange in May 2024. Santos-Aviles repeatedly pushed back, writing:“This is going too far, boss.”
Even as the Texas Republican admitted the affair, Gonzales had accused Santos-Aviles’ widower, Adrien Aviles, of attempting to extort him and alleged coordinated media attacks against him. Aviles vehemently denied the accusation and called on the congressman to take responsibility. Gonzales had vowed to remain in the race as recently as Wednesday.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) had filed a censure resolution against Gonzales. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) attempted to force a House floor vote requiring the Ethics Committee to release all records related to sexual misconduct investigations involving lawmakers — a resolution the House voted to send back to committee on Wednesday.
Gonzales had failed to clear 50 percent in Tuesday’s primary, setting up a runoff against gun-rights activist and YouTube personality Brandon Herrera. With Gonzales’ exit, Herrera is now positioned to advance unopposed.
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