Texas Republican Tony Gonzales drops re-election bid after admitting affair with staffer who died by suicide | EUROtoday

Representative Tony Gonzales has dropped his bid for re-election after admitting to having an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.

The Texas Republican wrote in an announcement launched late Thursday evening, “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.”

For months, Gonzales has been accused of getting an inappropriate relationship with Regina Santos-Aviles, a 35-year-old spouse and mom who labored in his Uvalde workplace.

After initially denying the allegations, Gonzales admitted he “made a mistake,” calling his infidelity with a subordinate “a lapse in judgment” in an interview with conservative speak present host Joe Pagliarulo, launched Wednesday.

Gonzales mentioned he had reconciled along with his spouse, Angel, with whom he shares six kids, and “asked God to forgive me, which he has.”

Santos-Aviles died in September 2025 within the yard of her Uvalde residence. Gonzales instructed Pagliarulo he had “absolutely nothing to do” along with her dying.

In his assertion saying his departure from Congress subsequent yr, Gonzales touted his work “overcoming the border crisis” and “taking a stand with my communities” after the 2022 mass capturing at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.

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

Amid the controversy surrounding the affair, Gonzales was pressured right into a main runoff with gun rights activist Brandon Herrera.

House Republican management known as on Gonzales to drop his re-election bid earlier Thursday after the House Ethics Committee introduced it was investigating whether or not Gonzales violated any guidelines in reference to allegations that he might have engaged in sexual misconduct towards an worker in his workplace and discriminated unfairly by giving particular favors.

“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,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain mentioned in a joint assertion.

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

If you or somebody you already know is battling suicidal ideas, attain out to the nationwide suicide and disaster lifeline at 988.