A Republican member of Congress is facing mounting pressure from within his own party after allegations surfaced that he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member who later died by suicide.
Texas congressman Tony Gonzales has rejected calls to resign, despite several fellow Republicans urging him to step aside as controversy intensifies.
The allegations include claims that Gonzales sent sexually explicit text messages to Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, a senior staffer, and pressured her to send intimate photos before allegedly coercing her into a sexual relationship. Gonzales has denied the affair and previously described the claims as politically motivated.
Speaking to reporters, Gonzales said he would not step down.
“There will be an opportunity for all the details and facts to come out. What you’ve seen is not all the facts. And there will be ample time for all of that to come out,” he said.
Several Republican lawmakers have publicly called for his resignation, including Representatives Thomas Massie, Lauren Boebert, Anna Paulina Luna and Nancy Mace. Texas Republicans Brandon Gill and Chip Roy also urged him to withdraw from his re-election campaign.
“America deserves better,” said Gill, who has endorsed Gonzales’s primary challenger. “Tony should drop out of the race.”
Mace has introduced a resolution aimed at compelling the House ethics committee to release broader records related to sexual harassment allegations involving members of Congress.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the claims must be taken seriously and confirmed he would speak with Gonzales, but stopped short of demanding his resignation.
“In every case like this, you have to allow the investigation to play out and all the facts to come out,” Johnson said. “If the accusation of something is going to be the litmus for someone being able to continue to serve in the House, a lot of people would have to resign or be removed or expelled from Congress.”
Gonzales is currently campaigning for another term and faces a challenging Republican primary on 3 March. His main rival, Brandon Herrera, nearly defeated him in the previous election cycle. The turbulence surrounding the scandal has prompted speculation that Democrats could potentially capture the seat if the GOP remains divided.
The controversy escalated after text messages reportedly showed Gonzales asking Santos-Aviles for explicit photos. One message sent late at night allegedly read: “Send me a sexy pic.”
Additional messages reportedly included discussions of sexual acts and questions about her preferences. According to media reports, Santos-Aviles expressed discomfort, saying Gonzales was going too far.
In a separate message to a colleague, she reportedly wrote: “I had affair with our boss.”
Santos-Aviles, a married mother of an eight-year-old son, died in September after setting herself on fire in the backyard of her home in Uvalde, Texas. Authorities later ruled her death a suicide.
Gonzales, a three-term congressman and father of six, has maintained that he is the target of blackmail and political attacks. He has not publicly addressed the newly released messages in detail.
The unfolding scandal has intensified debate in Washington over accountability and transparency, with some lawmakers calling for broader reforms to how misconduct allegations are handled in Congress.
If you or someone you know is struggling, support services are available. In the United States, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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