Rep. Tony Gonzales is resisting bipartisan calls to resign over an alleged affair and explicit texts with a deceased staffer as he nears a high-stakes primary election.
Texas Representative Tony Gonzales is facing intensifying calls for his resignation following the release of explicit text messages between him and a former aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide in September 2025. Despite mounting pressure from fellow Republicans including Representatives Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace who have labeled the allegations a “deeply disturbing” abuse of power, Gonzales told reporters Tuesday that he will not resign, stating, “I work every day for the people of Texas.
There will be an opportunity for all the details and the facts to come out. What you’ve seen are not all the facts.” While House Speaker Mike Johnson described the situation as “very serious” but urged patience for investigations to conclude, Gonzales’ primary opponent, Brandon Herrera, has leveraged the scandal to call the incumbent a “sexual predator” ahead of next week’s election. The controversy centers on 2024 messages where Gonzales allegedly solicited “sexy pics” from Santos-Aviles, whose mental health reportedly declined before she took her own life, though Gonzales maintains the attacks are “coordinated political” efforts that “won’t work.”
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