Republican congressman Tony Gonzales has dropped his reelection bid after admitting having an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide.
Announcing his decision, Gonzales wrote on X: “At 18, I swore an oath to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. During my 20 years in the military and three terms in Congress, I have fought for that cause with absolute dedication to the country that I love.
“From overcoming the border crisis to taking a stand with my communities after the worst school shooting in Texas’ history, my philosophy has never changed: do as much as you can, and always fight for the greater good.
“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. Through the rest of my term, I will continue fighting for my constituents, for whom I am eternally grateful.”
Gonzales – a married father of six – acknowledged his affair with a former aide, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, for the first time in an interview on Wednesday.
Santos-Aviles, 35, died in September 2025 after setting herself on fire in the backyard of her home in Uvalde, Texas. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office later ruled her death a suicide.
Gonzales’s decision comes after the House Ethics Committee said on Wednesday that it had opened an investigation into whether he had engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee, and whether he discriminated unfairly by dispensing special favors or privileges.
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