{"id":2576488,"date":"2026-03-05T14:03:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T19:03:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-leadership-calls-on-tony-gonzales-to-drop-reelection\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T14:05:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T19:05:19","slug":"gop-leadership-calls-on-tony-gonzales-to-drop-reelection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-leadership-calls-on-tony-gonzales-to-drop-reelection\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP leadership calls on Tony Gonzales to drop reelection"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgop-leadership-calls-on-tony-gonzales-to-drop-reelection%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2576488&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>House Republican leaders urged Rep. Tony Gonzales to suspend his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mike-rounds-defense-of-fbi-corruption-is-an-act-of-cowardice\/\" title=\"Mike Rounds&#039; Defense Of FBI Corruption Is An Act Of Cowardice\">2026 reelection bid<\/a> after he admitted an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide, as the Ethics Committee announced a formal investigation into his conduct. The leadership\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >statement urged expeditious action<\/a> and for Gonzales to address the allegations with constituents and colleagues; Gonzales said he would cooperate but initially resisted resigning, later apologizing and saying it was a lapse in judgment for which he accepted responsibility and had made amends with his wife. Senate and House leadership, including Speaker Mike johnson and Conference Chair lisa McClain, emphasized not prejudging the case and waiting for the investigation, while several Republicans called for Gonzales to resign or withdraw his candidacy and others favored waiting for the process to unfold. Gonzales faces a competitive GOP primary against Brandon Herrera, with Herrera holding a small lead in late counting and backed by the House Freedom Caucus and allied groups; leadership has not yet endorsed a candidate.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">House GOP leadership calls on scandal-ridden Tony Gonzales to suspend reelection bid<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2523840\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>House <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"240\">Republican<\/a> leaders asked Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tony-gonzales\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11307\">Tony Gonzales<\/a> (R-TX) to suspend his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11675\">2026<\/a> reelection campaign on Thursday, less than a day after the scandal-ridden <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/texas\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"253\">Texas<\/a> congressman admitted he had an affair with his staffer.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales&rsquo;s conduct, and we urge them to act expeditiously,&rdquo; the leadership team said in a statement. &ldquo;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. In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4481247\/tony-gonzales-admits-affair-staffer-suicide\/\">Rep. Tony Gonzales admits to affair with staffer who died by suicide: &#8216;Lapse in judgment&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4481120\/utah-rep-burgess-owens-retire-house\/\">Utah Rep. Burgess Owens to retire after redistricting reshuffles House map<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4480654\/five-takeaways-minnesota-fraud-hearing-walz-acknowledged-failures\/\">Five takeaways from Minnesota fraud hearing where Walz acknowledged failures<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The statement comes after House Speaker <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mike-johnson\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"7043\">Mike Johnson<\/a> (R-LA) warned people not to &ldquo;prejudge&rdquo; the allegations surrounding Gonzales and that they should &ldquo;let the process play out.&rdquo; The House Ethics Committee announced Wednesday it was forming a special subcommittee to investigate the allegations. <\/p>\n<p>The panel&rsquo;s move came one day after Gonzales was forced into a GOP primary runoff for his House seat.<\/p>\n<p>Text messages <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4467526\/read-tony-gonzales-explicit-texts-late-staffer\/\">released to the public<\/a> last week showed the congressman appearing to pressure a former aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, into a sexual relationship. Santos-Aviles, who was married at the time of the messages, died by suicide last year after setting herself on fire.<\/p>\n<p>Gonzales had told reporters that &ldquo;what you have seen are not all the facts&rdquo; and said he would <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4469480\/tony-gonzales-will-not-resign-alleged-staffer-affair\/\">not resign<\/a>. But he later <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4481247\/tony-gonzales-admits-affair-staffer-suicide\/\">admitted to the affair<\/a> during an interview with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-his-final-broadcasts-limbaugh-displays-what-made-him-so-great\/\" title=\"In His Final Broadcasts, Limbaugh Displays What ... Him So Great\">conservative talk show<\/a> on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I made a mistake, and I had a lapse in judgment,&rdquo; Gonzales said in the interview. &ldquo;I take full responsibility for those actions.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Gonzales added that he has made amends with his wife and asked God to forgive him, &ldquo;which He has.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The leadership team joins several of its rank-and-file members calling on Gonzales to either resign or suspend his reelection bid. At least six Republicans have said Gonzales should resign, while a few have said he should withdraw from the GOP primary in Texas. Others have condemned the conduct but said they would wait for an investigation before making further judgement.<\/p>\n<p>House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) told reporters on Thursday shortly after the leadership&rsquo;s statement went public that she hopes Gonzales will finish out his term. Republicans have a one-seat majority, and while his resignation wouldn&rsquo;t impact that margin, the conference has been struggling to pass bills due to absences involving campaigns, deaths, or injuries.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t call for him to resign, we asked him to &hellip; withdraw from the race. So I would refer you to the statement that leadership put out,&rdquo; McClain said.<\/p>\n<p>Gonzales is facing a competitive primary challenge from Brandon Herrera, whom the congressman beat in a runoff election in 2024 by roughly 400 votes. The pair is now <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4478740\/tony-gonzales-brandon-herrera-gop-primary-texas\/\">headed to another runoff<\/a> at the end of May, after neither candidate received the 50% required to win the race.<\/p>\n<p>When asked by the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>if House GOP leadership plans to endorse Herrera, McClain said they &lsquo;haven&rsquo;t gotten that far yet.&rdquo; She also wouldn&rsquo;t commit to personally endorsing him, saying, &ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t gotten that far yet.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4481247\/tony-gonzales-admits-affair-staffer-suicide\/\"><strong>REP. TONY GONZALES ADMITS TO AFFAIR WITH STAFFER WHO DIED BY SUICIDE: &lsquo;LAPSE IN JUDGMENT&rsquo;<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As of Thursday at 9:17 a.m., Herrera <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/projects\/elections-2026\/texas-primary-us-house\/#23\">holds a slight<\/a> 43.3% to 41.7% lead over Gonzales by less than 1,000 votes.<\/p>\n<p>Herrera is backed by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/house-freedom-caucus\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2415\">House Freedom Caucus<\/a> and its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/marriott-att-airbnbheres-the-list-of-corporations-announcing-they-wont-donate-to-gop-lawmakers-who-objected-to-electoral-votes-from-contested-states\/\" title=\"Marriott, AT&amp;T, Airbnb\u2026Here\u2019s The List Of Corporations Announcing They Won\u2019t Donate To GOP Lawmakers Who Objected To Electoral Votes From Contested States\">political action committee<\/a>, the House Freedom Fund, as well as other conservative groups and personalities. Leadership had taken a backseat approach to the race up until Thursday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GOP urges Gonzales to pause 2026 bid amid affair<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2648,"featured_media":2576489,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnsongonzales-e1772734768521.jpg?1772716759&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[6203,50402,8313,3694,75148],"class_list":["post-2576488","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-gop","tag-leadership-2","tag-reelection","tag-texas","tag-tonygonzales"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/johnsongonzales-e1772734768521.jpg?1772716759&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2576488","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2648"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2576488"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2576488\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2576492,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2576488\/revisions\/2576492"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2576489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2576488"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2576488"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2576488"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}