Embattled U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales has ended his reelection bid after facing rising pressure from his own party to drop out over an affair he had with a former staff member who later died by suicide.
Even so, the San Antonio Republican pledged to complete his term in Congress.
“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 in my district,” Gonzales tweeted late Thursday. “Through the rest of my term, I will continue fighting for my constituents, for whom I am eternally grateful.”
The three-term congressman didn’t mention the affair in his statement, which concluded with the words “God has a plan for all of us.”
Tumultuous week
The announcement comes amid a tumultuous week for Gonzales, who ended up in a runoff Tuesday to keep his seat representing Texas’ border-spanning 23rd District. The lawmaker was set to face Brandon “AK Guy” Herrera, a YouTube gun influencer and firearms manufacturer who also forced him into a 2024 runoff.
The day after the primary, Gonzales appeared on a nationally syndicated right-wing podcast, where he admitted to an extramarital affair with staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, who died last fall after setting herself on fire. The interview marked the first time the married father of six, owned up to the relationship. He’d previously called speculation about the pair “completely untruthful.”
The same day as the interview, the House Ethics Committee revealed it’s investigating whether Gonzales violated rules that bar members from engaging in sexual relationships with employees and whether he showed Santos-Aviles favorable treatment.
Then, on Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson and the chamber’s GOP leadership asked Gonzales to end his reelection bid, saying he should “address these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues.”
Is it enough?
While Gonzales latest move may be enough to placate Johnson for now, some in his on party have called on him to relinquish his seat. U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Florida, also introduced two resolutions targeting Gonzales, according to the Associated Press. The first would strip him of his assignments on the House Appropriations and Homeland Security committees, while the second would introduce a vote to censure him.
Adding to the dogpile, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said he would support expelling Gonzales from the House, the Associated Press reports. That rare maneuver would require a two-thirds vote from the chamber — something unlikely given the GOP’s fear of losing its four-seat majority in the upcoming midterms.
Although the Cook Political Report rates the 23rd District, which stretches from San Antonio to El Paso, as “Solid Republican,” political observers said the Democratic Party likely smells blood in the water over Gonzales’ scandal and Herrera’s history of problematic online remarks.
While attorney and educator Katy Padilla Stout, the Democratic nominee, is a relative unknown, an influx of outside cash could bolster her chances in the general election.
“This is a golden opportunity, and they will pump in tons of money to help whoever the Democratic nominee is,” UT-San Antonio political scientist Jon Taylor told the Current.
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