GOP Congressman Ends Re-election Bid Amid Affair Scandal

A Republican Texas congressman who has been the focus of attention due to his affair with a former aide who died by suicide has ended his effort to keep his seat.

Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas said he will not compete in a runoff election with Brandon Herrera.

“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,” Gonzales said in a statement, according to Politico.

“Through the rest of my term, I will continue fighting for my constituents, for whom I am eternally grateful,” he said.

After initially denying a sexual relationship with former aide Regina Santos-Aviles, who died last year after setting herself on fire, Gonzales finally admitted to the sexual relationship.

“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 has said.

He said the affair had “absolutely nothing to do with” Santos-Aviles’ death.

May 2024 texts show Gonzales, a married father of six, asking his aide for “sexy” photos, according to WABC-TV.

“You don’t really want a hot picture of me,” she wrote.

“I’m just such a visual person,” he wrote back, adding “Sorry.”

After being asked about her sexual preferences, Santos-Aviles replied, “This is going too far boss,” but also asked, “How long have you thought I was this hot?”

A June 2024 text from Adrian Aviles, the aide’s husband, said he was filing for divorce because of the messages between Santos-Aviles and Gonzales.

As noted by Politico, House Republican leaders urged Gonzales to end his re-election bid.

The House Ethics Committee has also been investigating him. Further, the Office of Congressional Conduct found “a substantial reason to believe” Gonzales broke House rules by having an affair with an employee.

“The Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales’s conduct, and we urge them to act expeditiously,” House Speaker Mike Johnson and other top Republicans had said.

“In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election,” he said.

Herrera responded to the decision by posting on X, “I appreciate Tony Gonzales for making the appropriate decision. I look forward to being the voice of TX23 that our district deserves. From the border, to oil theft, water rights, data centers, and many other issues. It’s an honor to be chosen and together we will make Texas proud.”

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