Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales dropped out of his reelection runoff in Texas's 23rd Congressional District after admitting to an affair with a former staffer who later died in a horrific self-immolation at her Uvalde home.
Gonzales released a short statement announcing his withdrawal. He plans to serve out the rest of his current term but will not face challenger Brandon Herrera in a May 26 runoff.
The three-term congressman and married father of six had denied the relationship for months. He finally admitted it during a March 4 radio interview on The Joe Pags Show, the day after voters went to the polls in the Republican primary. With 99 percent of votes counted, Herrera led with 43.3 percent to Gonzales's 41.7 percent.
The affair involved Regina Santos-Aviles, a 35-year-old regional district director in Gonzales's office. She joined his staff in November 2021, according to anonymous sources cited by the Daily Mail. She was frequently seen at Gonzales's side, including during Elon Musk's high-profile border tour in Eagle Pass in September 2023.
In September 2025, Santos-Aviles poured gasoline on herself and set herself on fire in the backyard of her Uvalde, Texas, home. She suffered significant injuries and was transported to the emergency room. She died, leaving behind an eight-year-old son.
The Uvalde Police Department stated it found no evidence of foul play.
"Regina Santos-Aviles was alone in her backyard when the fire began, which ultimately caused significant injuries and required her transport to the emergency room."
Police later turned surveillance footage from the home to the Texas Department of Public Safety crime lab for review. The footage reportedly captured Santos-Aviles pouring gasoline on herself before the fire.
Gonzales had repeatedly denied and dismissed reports about the relationship. That wall crumbled on March 4 when he went on The Joe Pags Show and used careful language to describe what happened.
He called it a "lapse in judgment" and "a lack of faith," saying he "made a mistake" and takes "full responsibility for those actions."
Responsibility, of course, is easy to claim once you've been caught.
Gonzales did not leave quietly on his own. Fox News reported that House GOP leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson, publicly urged Gonzales to withdraw from his reelection race. A House Ethics Committee investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and whether special favors were granted to the former staffer added unbearable pressure.
Speaker Johnson and other top Republicans issued a blunt statement:
"Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election."
That kind of public demand from your own party's leadership leaves little room for negotiation. Newsmax noted that while Gonzales ended his reelection campaign, he is not resigning from Congress immediately and plans to finish his current term.
His withdrawal statement leaned on his military record rather than the scandal itself:
"At 18, I swore an oath to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. During my 20 years in the military and three terms in Congress, I have fought for that cause with absolute dedication to the country that I love."
He added:
"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."
Gonzales's exit clears the path for Brandon Herrera, who already led the primary field. The May 26 runoff now appears moot. Texas's 23rd is a sprawling border district, the kind of seat that demands a representative focused on security, not scandal.
The pattern of incumbents stepping aside under pressure has become a recurring theme in Republican politics. Sen. Steve Daines recently stepped aside in Montana, clearing the way for a Trump-backed successor. And Trump himself has signaled kingmaker moves in Texas runoffs, demanding candidates who can't win step aside.
Here are the key facts voters in TX-23 now face:
A young woman is dead. An eight-year-old boy lost his mother. A congressman lied about it for months and confessed only when the political math turned against him.
Conservatives rightly demand accountability from every public official, regardless of party letter. Gonzales's 20 years of military service deserve respect. His conduct in office does not.
The GOP did the right thing by forcing the issue. Voters deserve representatives who tell the truth before they're cornered into it.
