GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales Faces Intense Party Pressure Over Affair Allegations

U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), representing Texas’s 23rd Congressional District, is under mounting scrutiny from fellow Republicans amid allegations of an extramarital affair with former aide Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by self-immolation in 2025.[1][2][3] As early voting unfolds for the March 3 primary against challenger Brandon Herrera, explicit text messages and police reports have fueled calls for Gonzales’ resignation, complicating GOP leadership’s efforts to hold a slim House majority.[3][5]

Explicit Texts Surface, Revealing Alleged Affair

The controversy escalated on February 23, 2026, when Adrian Aviles, husband of the late Santos-Aviles, shared screenshots of sexually charged text messages with KSAT Investigates. The exchanges, dated just after midnight on May 9, 2024, show Gonzales allegedly requesting a “sexy pic” from Santos-Aviles, who served as his regional director in Uvalde after leaving the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce in November 2021.[1][2]

In one message, Gonzales reportedly pushed for a specific sex act, prompting Santos-Aviles to reply, “Never. This is too far, Tony.” Despite her hesitation, the conversation shifted to arranging an in-person meeting, leading to the pair spending several hours alone at a cabin owned by a former staffer’s family two days later, according to a former staffer.[1][2] Aviles’ attorney, Bobby Barrera, confirmed the monthlong affair was discovered in June 2024, leading to the couple’s separation—though no divorce was filed.[1]

On June 1, 2024, Aviles sent a group text from his wife’s phone to Gonzales and seven staffers, stating: “Just a heads up this is Adrian Aviles, Regina’s soon to be ex-husband. I just wanted to inform all of you that we will be getting a divorced (sic) after my discovery of text messages and pictures, that’s she been having an affair on me with you boss Tony Gonzales for some time now.”[1][2] Following this, Gonzales and staff allegedly ostracized Santos-Aviles, contributing to her professional isolation.[2]

Gonzales’ office has not responded to repeated inquiries from KSAT, The Texas Tribune, or others since September 2025, though he previously denied the rumors as “completely untruthful” in November.[1][2] More recently, he has accused Aviles of blackmail, posting on social media: “I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED,” while demanding the full release of the Uvalde police report tied to Santos-Aviles’ death and linking it to political attacks.[1][3]

Tragic Death Adds Layers of Complexity

Santos-Aviles’ death in mid-September 2025 has intensified the scandal. Police records, obtained by The Texas Tribune and San Antonio Express-News, reveal she doused herself in gasoline outside her Uvalde home and sent a video to a friend, asking him to tell Aviles to “have fun raising our son.”[2] She told first responders she acted after learning her estranged husband was involved with her best friend.[2][3]

Interviews documented by law enforcement paint a picture of Santos-Aviles’ downward spiral post-affair: struggles with alcohol, threats of self-harm—including an incident where she called Aviles while holding a gun to her head—and expressions of despair to family friends about wanting her family back.[2] A friend, Victor Baron, told police she was “pretty sad about the situation” the night before her death.[2]

Barrera, Aviles’ attorney, claims to hold “substantial evidence” from Santos-Aviles’ phone supporting the affair and accuses Gonzales of refusing an out-of-court settlement while portraying himself as a victim.[4] Gonzales has shared an image purportedly showing a $10,000 demand from the family’s attorney for a non-disclosure agreement, calling it “disgusting” profiteering off a “tragic death.”[3]

GOP Backlash Mounts Ahead of Primary

The allegations violate House rules enacted in 2018 prohibiting romantic relationships between lawmakers and staff, amplifying ethical concerns.[2] An Office of Congressional Conduct investigation into Gonzales was already underway before the affair claims went public, following his November evasion of questions.[1]

Fellow Republicans are turning up the heat. Conservative lawmakers have issued demands for resignation, creating potential headaches for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who maintains a razor-thin majority.[3][5] Johnson urged Gonzales on February 23 to “address” the allegations with constituents but stopped short of withdrawing his endorsement, consistent with handling other personal scandals.[5]

Primary challenger Brandon Herrera, a gun rights activist, has seized on the issue in ads and social media, labeling it a “taxpayer funded affair with a married staffer, which led to her death by self-immolation” and calling for accountability rather than dismissing it as a political attack.[2] Gonzales counters by blaming Herrera for politicizing Santos-Aviles’ death and reaffirming focus on border security and supporting President Trump.[3]

In a statement to NBC News, Gonzales said: “I will not engage in these personal attacks and will remain focused on assisting President Trump in securing the border and enhancing the lives of all Texans.”[3] Despite the denials, the lack of direct rebuttals to the latest texts has eroded support, with GOP women in the House adding to the pressure.[5]

Broader Political Ramifications

This scandal unfolds against Gonzales’ precarious primary, where Trump and Johnson endorsements may not suffice amid conservative fury.[3] The timing—just days before early voting peaks—could sway turnout in Texas’s 23rd District, a competitive seat blending urban San Antonio and rural border areas.

For House Republicans, the episode tests party discipline on personal conduct, echoing past controversies but heightened by the aide’s suicide and explicit evidence. As calls for the full Uvalde police report grow, the saga risks overshadowing policy debates on immigration and Uvalde school shooting accountability—issues Gonzales has championed.[1]

While Gonzales fights on, the convergence of explicit texts, a tragic death, and intra-party revolt has placed his political future in jeopardy. Voters will ultimately decide on March 3, but the damage from unrelenting allegations may prove lasting.[2][3]

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Original source: NPR News – GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales faces pressure from party over affair allegations