Second Former Staffer Alleges Explicit Harassment by Republican Congressman
A second woman who previously worked for Republican Representative Tony Gonzales has come forward with allegations that the Texas congressman subjected her to a barrage of sexually explicit text messages. The former campaign political director claims Gonzales asked her "more than a dozen times to send nude photos" over a three-day period, according to a report first published by the San Antonio Express-News.
Pattern of Alleged Inappropriate Behavior
The woman, who served as political director for Gonzales's 2020 congressional campaign, described the congressman's alleged conduct as "sexual bullying" in an interview with NBC News. She stated she decided to speak out now because Gonzales "should be held accountable" for his actions. While confirming the pair never had a physical relationship, she detailed how the married father-of-six repeatedly expressed his desire to have sex with her through text messages.
"He obviously pursued, pursued, pursued her like he did with me," the woman told the San Antonio Express-News, referring to Regina Santos-Aviles, another former staffer with whom Gonzales admitted having an affair.
Explicit Messages and Congressional Response
Text messages obtained by the newspaper show Gonzales persistently requesting photos and making sexually suggestive comments. In one particularly revealing exchange, the congressman reportedly responded, "47 nos is about my limit," after repeated rejections. The woman noted that many messages were "too salacious" for publication.
While acknowledging she was "not totally innocent in all of this" and expressing regret over some responses that appeared to engage with the congressman, she emphasized the messages made her uncomfortable. However, she admitted the discomfort wasn't sufficient to prompt her resignation from the campaign at the time.
Broader Political Fallout and Investigation
These new allegations emerge just weeks after Gonzales announced he was dropping his re-election bid following his admission of an affair with Santos-Aviles, a married congressional staffer who died by suicide in September 2025. Gonzales initially denied the allegations before confessing to what he called "a lapse in judgment" during an interview with conservative talk show host Joe Pagliarulo.
The congressman claimed he had "absolutely nothing to do" with Santos-Aviles's death and stated he had reconciled with his wife, Angel, while seeking divine forgiveness. Neither Gonzales nor his office responded to questions from the San Antonio Express-News about the latest allegations, and The Independent's requests for comment went unanswered.
News of the affair, including screenshots showing Gonzales requesting risque photos from Santos-Aviles, prompted numerous Republicans to call for his resignation. Gonzales's withdrawal from the District 23 Congressional race could prove damaging to House Republicans, who maintain a razor-thin 217-214 seat majority over Democrats.
The House Ethics Committee has launched an investigation into Gonzales concerning his extramarital affair, with these new allegations likely to intensify scrutiny of his conduct while in office.
