Gonzales Refuses To Resign After Explicit Texts Surface
Rep. Tony Gonzales denies an affair after May 9, 2024 texts and resists GOP calls to resign as investigators and colleagues press for answers and possible Ethics Committee action.
Overview
Rep. Tony Gonzales told reporters he will not resign amid growing calls from House Republicans for him to step down.
Messages dated May 9, 2024 reportedly show Gonzales asking aide Regina Ann Santos-Aviles for explicit photos and sexual details, according to reports that surfaced after her death.
Reps. Lauren Boebert, Nancy Mace, Anna Paulina Luna and Thomas Massie called on Gonzales to resign, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would speak with Gonzales and called the allegations serious.
Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, 35, died in September 2025 after setting herself on fire, and the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a suicide by self-immolation.
The Office of Congressional Conduct opened an investigation in November and its findings could be referred to the House Ethics Committee while Gonzales faces a rematch with Brandon Herrera in a March 3 primary.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources collectively frame this as a developing political scandal focused on alleged misconduct and electoral risk. They foreground Republican calls to resign and newly released texts, emphasize the primary and Trump endorsement context, and highlight denunciatory and defensive quotes as source content. Editorial choices—leads, selective emphasis on texts, and verified vs unverified sourcing—shape that narrative.
Sources (16)
FAQ
Texts from May 9, 2024, show Gonzales asking for explicit photos and saying 'I’m just such a visual person,' while Santos-Aviles responded twice that 'this is too far' and she doesn't like taking pictures of herself.
Regina Santos-Aviles, 35, died by suicide on September 14, 2025, after dousing herself in gasoline and setting herself on fire at her home in Uvalde, Texas; the Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled it self-immolation, and surveillance video shows she was alone.
Reps. Lauren Boebert, Nancy Mace, Anna Paulina Luna, Thomas Massie, and others have called for Gonzales to resign; House Speaker Mike Johnson called the allegations serious and plans to speak with him.
The Office of Congressional Conduct investigated the relationship and has wrapped up, but cannot send its report to the House Ethics Committee within 60 days before the March 3 primary election; findings could be referred later.
Adrian Aviles' attorney is considering workplace or sexual harassment litigation against Gonzales, and also libel litigation after Gonzales accused Aviles of blackmail on X.
History
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