Tony Gonzales has withdrawn from his re-election campaign just a day after admitting he had an affair with a staff member who later died by su!cide.
The Republican congressman announced Thursday night that he would drop out of the GOP primary runoff race against Brandon Herrera for Texas’ 23rd congressional district. Herrera later declared victory in the primary race and is now expected to move forward to the general election for the seat.
In a statement explaining his decision, Gonzales said he had reflected deeply with his family before deciding to step aside from the campaign, although he pledged to continue serving the remainder of his term in the United States House of Representatives.
The controversy surrounding Gonzales intensified following the death of his staff member, Regina Santos Aviles, who died by suicide in September 2025 after setting herself on fire. Rumours had circulated that Gonzales, who is married and has six children, had been involved in a relationship with Santos-Aviles. The congressman initially denied the claims.
However, San Antonio Express News later published text messages in which Santos-Aviles acknowledged having an affair with Gonzales. Additional messages reportedly showed Gonzales asking the staffer to send him a “sexy pic.”
Earlier this week, Gonzales publicly admitted to the affair during an interview on The Joe Pags Show, describing the relationship as a “mistake” and a “lapse in judgment.”
Meanwhile, the US House Ethics Committee has opened an investigation into the matter to determine whether Gonzales violated congressional rules regarding conduct, including allegations of sexual misconduct and favoritism.