Republican Tony Gonzales to step down from Congress amid expulsion threat | Republicans
Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, announced Monday that he is resigning from Congress after admitting to an extramarital affair with a staffer.
Facing mounting threats of expulsion from colleagues, Gonzales admitted last month that he had an affair with an aide who later died by suicide.
“To everything there is a season and God has a plan for all of us. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will announce my retirement. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas,” Gonzales wrote to X.
His announcement came hours after Democratic representative Eric Swalwell said he was resigning from Congress following multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.
Gonzales spoke publicly about the incident after the House ethics committee opened an investigation into his conduct. The committee’s bipartisan leaders said at the time that a panel would investigate whether the congressman, now in his third term, sexually harassed one of his staffers and engaged in discriminatory practices.
Former employee Regina Ann Santos-Aviles died by suicide in September 2025 at the age of 35 at her home in Uvalde, Texas.
In an interview with a conservative media personality, Gonzales admitted to the affair; The representative said Santos-Aviles had not spoken to him for a year before his death. The man, who said he had “absolutely nothing to do with her tragic death”, said of the incident: “I made a mistake; I made a mistake in judgment and that was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions… I have since made peace with my wife Angel. I asked God to forgive me, which he did, and my faith is as strong as ever.”
After the allegations became public last month, Gonzales announced he was ending his re-election campaign but would serve out the remainder of his term.
It’s unclear whether his retirement will be effective immediately this week. His spokesman did not immediately respond to an inquiry.
Following Santos-Aviles’ death, her husband shared a text message with Santos-Aviles. Texas Tribune And San-Antonio Express This allegedly showed the congresswoman asking Santos-Aviles for a “sexy photo,” to which she responded at one point that she had “gone too far.” The congressman did not comment on the messages sent to these media outlets at the time, but accused Santos-Aviles’ widow’s attorney of “trying to outwit me” for money.
An attorney for Santos-Aviles’ husband said the congressman mischaracterized his client’s legitimate claim under the Congressional Accountability Act, which provides penalties for workplace mistreatment.
Gonzales’ departure from Congress comes after Democratic representative Teresa Leger Fernández said she would introduce a resolution to unseat him, saying in an earlier statement: “Gonzales and Swalwell are unfit to serve in Congress because of their sexual crimes against women who work for them. They should resign or be expelled.”
Anna Paulina Luna, the Florida Republican who has led calls for Swalwell’s deportation. he told Politico he would previously vote to expel Gonzales.
Prior to his resignation, Swalwell had suspended his campaign for governor of California. San Francisco Chronicle She reported the account of a former employee who said he sexually assaulted her.
