Representative Tony Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, announced on Monday he will step down from Congress after admitting to an extramarital affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. The congressman, who faced a growing threat of expulsion, said he would file his retirement from office on Tuesday.
In a statement posted on X, Gonzales wrote: “There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.” His announcement came hours after Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell also said he was resigning amid multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.
Gonzales admitted the affair after the House ethics committee opened an investigation into his conduct. The committee is examining whether he engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee and whether he engaged in discriminatory practices. The former staffer, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, died by suicide in September 2025 at her home in Uvalde, Texas, at age 35.
In an interview, Gonzales said he had not spoken with Santos-Aviles for a year before her death and had “absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing”. He described the affair as a “lapse in judgment” and said he had reconciled with his wife. After the allegations became public, he ended his re-election campaign but had planned to serve out his term. It is unclear if his retirement will take effect immediately.
Following Santos-Aviles’s death, her husband shared text messages allegedly showing Gonzales asking for a “sexy pic” and the staffer responding that he was going “too far”. Gonzales accused the lawyer for Santos-Aviles’s widow of trying to “shake me down” for money, but the lawyer said the claim was legitimate under the Congressional Accountability Act.
Democratic Representative Teresa Leger Fernández had announced plans to introduce a resolution to expel Gonzales, stating he was “not fit to serve”. Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna, who led calls to expel Swalwell, said she would also vote to expel Gonzales.
