MAGA Rep. Tony Gonzales has dropped his reelection bid for his Texas congressional district following a scandal over an affair with a younger staffer who later took her own life.
“After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek reelection while serving out the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I’ve always had to my district,” Gonzales, 45, posted in a statement on X on Thursday.
“Through the rest of my term, I will continue fighting for my constituents, for who I am eternally grateful.”
He did not directly mention the affair with Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, 35, in his post, but signed off, “God has a plan for all of us.”
Earlier this week, the married father-of-six admitted to the affair, calling it a “lapse in judgment.” He added that he took “full responsibility for those actions,” but added that God had forgiven him.
His belated admission followed the House Ethics Committee launching a formal investigation into the affair on Wednesday.
Gonzales, 45, had previously tried to dismiss the affair allegations as “blackmail” and “coordinated political attacks” designed to unseat him.
Sordid texts released to the media saw Gonzales pressuring Santos-Aviles, who was also married, to send him a “sexy pic” in a message sent after midnight in May 2024.
When she pushed back, he insisted he was “such a visual person.” The congressmen then asked Santos-Aviles her “favorite position,” leading to her to respond, “This is going too far boss” and then, “This is too far, Tony.”
Santos-Aviles took her own life by setting herself on fire last September after her husband, Adrian Aviles, learned of her affair with Gonzales.
The congressman found himself forced into a primary runoff against YouTuber Brandon Herrera when he failed to get more than 50 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s primaries.
On Wednesday, Gonzales opened up about the affair on the MAGA-friendly podcast The Joe Pags Show.
“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 said.
He claimed that he had reconciled with his wife and noted “I’ve asked God to forgive me, which He has.”
Referencing the late Santos-Aviles, he insisted he had not spoken to her for over a year before her death. “I had absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing and in fact I was shocked just as much as everyone else was,” Gonzales told the podcast.
Gonzales’ decision follows House Speaker Mike Johnson and other key Republicans in the House who requested that he drop his reelection bid.
Ahead of Tuesday’s primary, Johnson said he planned to let it “play out,” but did a 180 one day after the probe into Gonzales was announced.
“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,” Johnson and others said in a statement.
“In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election,” they added.
