Gonzales Refuses To Resign After Sex-Text Revelations
Rep. Tony Gonzales refused to resign after May 2024 texts with an aide surfaced; the aide died in September 2025 and House leaders voiced divided reactions.
PBS NewsHourTexas Rep. Gonzales resists calls to resign over allegations of an affair with an ex-staffer who died
Breitbart News‘I Am Not Going to Resign’: Rep. Tony Gonzales Defies GOP Calls
Daily Beast‘Predator’ MAGA Rep Refuses to Resign After Affair With Aide Revealed
The GuardianUS congressman refuses to resign after allegations of affair with staffer
Overview
Rep. Tony Gonzales said he will not resign after sexually explicit text messages with a former aide became public.
Text exchanges from May 2024 show Gonzales asking aide Regina Santos-Aviles for a "sexy pic" and other sexual questions, according to reports.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Gonzales should resign, while House Speaker Mike Johnson called the allegations "detestable" and urged investigators to sort the facts.
Regina Santos-Aviles died in September 2025 after setting herself on fire and left an 8-year-old son, and Gonzales has served in the House since January 2021 and is a married father of six.
The Office of Congressional Conduct is reported to be investigating, Gonzales faces a March 3 Republican primary against Brandon Herrera, and some Republicans have urged him to step down.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources appear neutral: reporting largely attributes allegations ("alleged affair"), uses corroborated source content (text messages, quotes) and presents competing perspectives (Gonzales's denials, colleagues urging resignation, others defending him). Quoted statements are source content; editorial language stays measured and the reporting resists taking an evaluative stance.
FAQ
Texts from May-June 2024 show Gonzales asking for a 'sexy pic' and pursuing a relationship, with her widower later texting Gonzales accusing her of an affair with him.
Santos-Aviles, 35, died by suicide on September 14, 2025, after setting herself on fire at her Uvalde home; the Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled it self-immolation with no foul play.
She told responding officers she set herself on fire because her husband was having an affair with her best friend; her marriage was strained by rumors of her own affair.
Gonzales refuses to resign despite calls from Kevin McCarthy; he faces a March 3 Republican primary against Brandon Herrera amid an Office of Congressional Conduct investigation.
