Republican Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales publicly admitted on Wednesday to an affair with his former staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide last September. The admission comes as he advances to a May runoff in the GOP primary for his district, while facing calls from party leaders to end his re-election bid and a new House Ethics Committee investigation. Gonzales has taken responsibility but claims more details will emerge.
Tony Gonzales, the Republican representative for Texas's 23rd Congressional District, which stretches from San Antonio to El Paso along 800 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, admitted on Wednesday to an extramarital affair with Regina Santos-Aviles, a 35-year-old married mother and his former Uvalde office coordinator. The affair, which Gonzales said ended in the summer of 2024—more than a year before her death—has drawn significant scrutiny following reports of explicit text messages published by the San Antonio Express-News last month. These messages, which NPR has not independently verified, allegedly show Gonzales making sexual requests, such as asking for a "sexy" photo and inquiring about her "favorite position." In one exchange, Santos-Aviles reportedly replied, "This is too far, Tony," and in another, "This is going too far boss. So how long have you thought I was this hot?"
Santos-Aviles died by suicide on September last year in her Uvalde home by dousing herself in accelerant and setting herself on fire. According to the Uvalde Police Department report, she told first responders she did so because her husband was having an affair with her best friend. Gonzales has denied any connection to her death, stating on the Joe Pags radio show, "This whole notion that I had anything to do with her death, I had absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing."
In the same interview, Gonzales acknowledged his actions: "I made a mistake, and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions. Since then, I have reconciled with my wife, Angel. I have asked God to forgive me, which he has, and my faith is as strong as ever." He suggested the scandal was a "coordinated political attack" to flip the district to Democrats and claimed he was blackmailed by Santos-Aviles's estranged husband, Adrian Aviles, who allegedly demanded $300,000 through his attorney shortly after her death. Aviles has rejected the blackmail accusation, saying he shared the texts "because I don’t want to be called a liar and don’t want her to be called a liar." He added, "I also want to show proof to everybody the type of person that he is. He’s a predator. He took advantage of a very vulnerable woman."
On Tuesday, Gonzales received 41.7% of the vote in the GOP primary, advancing to a May runoff against YouTuber and firearms manufacturer Brandon Herrera, who got 43.3%. The district includes Uvalde, site of a 2022 school shooting, where Santos-Aviles was well-known and beloved. Gonzales supported a limited gun safety bill after the tragedy, contrasting with Herrera's pro-gun stance. President Donald Trump has endorsed Gonzales.
Following the primary, the House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into whether Gonzales violated House rules by engaging in sexual misconduct with a staffer. The probe does not address her death. On Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), and GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) urged him to withdraw from the 2026 race, stating, "We have encouraged him to address these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues. In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for reelection."
Gonzales, seeking a fourth term, told CNN he will not resign: "I am not going to resign. I work every day for the people of Texas … and there will be an opportunity for all the details and all the facts to come out. What you’ve seen is not all the facts." He reiterated to Pags that "there is a whole lot more to the story, a lot more that isn’t out there."
