Rep. Tony Gonzales faces growing Republican calls to resign over alleged affair

· Axios

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) is facing mounting blowback from fellow House Republicans — including calls for his resignation — following allegations that he had an affair with a former staffer before she died by suicide.

  • Gonzales has denied having the affair.

Why it matters: The backlash from conservative lawmakers could create headaches for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and President Trump, who have continued to back Gonzales ahead of a competitive primary next week.

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  • Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) on Monday afternoon became the first congressional Republican to call on Gonzales to resign.
  • Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas), a House Freedom Caucus member, later followed suit, posting, "America deserves better. Tony should drop out of the race."
  • Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) soon followed, with Burchett telling Axios: "He needs to go"

Catch up quick: Gonzales is facing opponent Brandon Herrera in a March 3 primary.

Driving the news: Johnson said Monday that the allegations against Gonzales are "very serious," but argued lawmakers should allow the investigative process to play out.

  • "I endorsed Tony before all these allegations came out; They're obviously very serious, and I've spoken with him and told him he's got to address that in an appropriate way with his constituents," Johnson told reporters.
  • The speaker said it was "too early for anybody to prejudge any of that, but we'll see how it develops."
  • The National Republican Congressional Committee and the White House declined to comment on whether they will withdraw support for Gonzales. Trump endorsed Gonzales just last week.

The intrigue: Congress has forced members out over ethics issues in the past.

  • Relationships between members of Congress and their staff are prohibited under the House Code of Official Conduct.
  • Johnson can only afford to lose one vote on party-line measures, and his margin would become even slimmer if Gonzales were to step down.

The big picture: The San Antonio Express-News reported last week that Gonzales' former regional director, Regina Santos-Aviles, sent a text message that appears to show Santos-Aviles telling another Gonzales aide she "had [an] affair with our boss."

  • Santos-Aviles died last year after setting herself on fire outside her Uvalde home.
  • Axios obtained copies of text messages between Gonzales and Santos-Aviles from her husband, Adrian Aviles, who shared them in a message with his attorney copied. In one message from May 2024, Gonzales asked Santos-Aviles for a "sexy pic."
  • Santos-Aviles later replied, "this is too far tony." 24sight news first published the messages.
  • The Express-News reported on Monday that Santos-Aviles told first responders before she died that she set herself on fire after learning her estranged husband was romantically involved with her best friend, per newly released Uvalde police records.

In a statement to NBC News last week, Gonzales said, "I am not going to engage in these personal smears and instead will remain focused on helping President Trump secure the border and improve the lives of all Texans."

  • Gonzales' office declined to comment on the latest alleged text exchanges or on the calls for his resignation.

What they're saying: "These text messages are disgusting and inexcusable," Mace said in a statement Monday afternoon, adding that Gonzales "should resign immediately and be held fully accountable for what he's done."

  • The House Freedom Caucus' campaign arm also formally endorsed Herrera on Monday. The group backed him last cycle.
  • When asked if they would call on Gonzales to resign, one Freedom Caucus member told Axios, "Due process has to play out, but I think Brandon should be our nominee." Another Freedom Caucus member told Axios they think Gonzales should resign.
  • Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) stopped short of calling for Gonzales' resignation, but urged every member to condemn him, adding, "It brings dishonor on the House of Representatives. I am so sick of people not calling this crap out."

The other side: Gonzales has claimed that he's being "blackmailed" by Santos-Aviles' husband.

  • He posted an image on social media of a purported message from the family's lawyer discussing a $300,000 settlement in exchange for his client signing a non-disclosure agreement.
  • "Disgusting to see people profit politically and financially off a tragic death. The public should IMMEDIATELY have full access to the Uvalde Police report," Gonzales wrote on X.
  • Adrian Aviles responded on X: "We have never blackmailed anyone. What we've seen instead is a consistent pattern of evasion, refusal to take accountability, and outright lies to protect your image."

Between the lines: The Office of Congressional Conduct said in a letter to Santos-Aviles' husband in November that it was investigating Gonzales for potential House rules violations. Punchbowl News was first to report the investigation.

  • The OCC cannot make a referral to the House Ethics Committee until after Gonzales' election.
  • The OCC declined to comment.

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Ayuda disponible en español.

— Axios' Andrew Solender contributed reporting for this story.

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