UVALDE, TX — U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales (R-TX) has publicly admitted to an extramarital affair with a staff member, reversing his previous denials as he faces a federal ethics investigation and mounting calls for his resignation.
The admission involves his relationship with Regina Santos-Aviles, his former regional district director, who died by suicide in September 2025. Gonzales, 45, characterized the relationship as a “mistake” and a “lapse in judgment” during a recent podcast interview with host Joe Pags.Pressure from GOP
LeadershipThe scandal has triggered a swift and severe response from the highest levels of the Republican party. In a rare joint statement, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and other top officials urged Gonzales to withdraw from his re-election campaign immediately.
They stated that leadership has asked the Congressman to exit the race and address these “very serious allegations” directly with his colleagues and constituents.
Ethics Investigation and Allegations
The House Ethics Committee is currently investigating two primary concerns regarding the Congressman’s conduct.
First, they are evaluating the nature of the relationship with a subordinate under the category of sexual misconduct.
Second, they are examining whether he provided professional favoritism by granting Santos-Aviles “special favors or privileges,” such as unfair salary increases.
Gonzales has defended the financial aspect of the case, claiming that any pay raise Santos-Aviles received was part of a standard “staff-wide” adjustment.
He also denied any connection between the affair and her death, stating he was “shocked” by her passing and maintaining that she had been “thriving” professionally at the time.
A Timeline of the Scandal
The controversy began in May 2024, when explicit text messages were reportedly sent by Gonzales to Santos-Aviles. By June 2024, the aide’s husband, Adrian Aviles, reportedly discovered the affair and alerted other staff members. The situation turned tragic in September 2025, when Regina Santos-Aviles died by suicide in Uvalde, Texas.
Now, in March 2026, the House Ethics Committee has launched a formal probe, coinciding with Gonzales’s first public admission of the affair and the subsequent loss of support from House leadership.
Political Fallout
The timing of this admission is critical for the heavily Republican-leaning border district. Gonzales is currently locked in a heated primary run-off against challenger Brandon Herrera.
While Gonzales previously held an endorsement from Donald Trump, the shifting scandal and the public abandonment by GOP leadership have placed his political future in significant jeopardy.
Attorneys for the Aviles family allege that the Congressman’s behavior—specifically workplace harassment following the discovery of the affair—contributed to the sharp decline in Santos-Aviles’ mental health.
Gonzales has maintained there is “more to the story” but has yet to provide further details to the public.Would you like me to look into the specific House Ethics rules regarding relationships with subordinates?