Texas Congressman Resigns After Affair with Staffer Who Later Died by Suicide
Finn's Take· TL;DR- Republican congressman resigned after admitting affair with staffer who later died by suicide and sending explicit messages to staff members.
- House Ethics Committee investigation ended with his resignation; both parties faced sexual misconduct scandals simultaneously in narrowly divided Congress.
- Texas district now faces special election to fill vacant seat; political future uncertain as investigations concluded upon his departure.
Congressional Career Ends in Scandal
U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales announced on social media that he will resign from Congress after being accused of having a sexual relationship with a staffer who later took her own life . The San Antonio Republican submitted his resignation Tuesday from the U.S. House, ending a five-year congressional career, with the resignation taking effect at 10:59 p.m. CT .
Gonzales had been dogged by rumors and allegations of sexual misconduct since last September, when one of his staffers, Regina Santos-Aviles, died by suicide, with text messages showing that Gonzales had sent Santos-Aviles sexually explicit messages in May 2024, and Gonzales later admitted he had an affair with her while she was his subordinate . A second woman who had worked for Gonzales told NBC News that he had also sent her sexually explicit text messages, including repeatedly asking for sex and nude photos .
The scandal intensified after Gonzales acknowledged the affair during an interview with a conservative talk show host . House rules prohibit members of Congress from engaging in sexual relationships with their employees , and the House Ethics Committee had opened an investigation into the San Antonio congressman to determine whether he "engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual employed in his office" .
Political Pressure Mounts
Gonzales has come under bipartisan pressure to immediately step aside or face expulsion following his acknowledgment of an affair with his former staffer, with Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., vowing to move forward with her expulsion resolution if Gonzales does not quickly resign . After finishing second in the March Republican primary, GOP leaders — including U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson — urged him to drop his reelection bid, and Gonzales followed suit soon after .
Gonzales's announcement came hours after California Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell announced he was also resigning from Congress, with the timing drawing national attention due to both parties facing sudden vacancies while Republicans hold a narrow House majority . Most Republicans had stopped short of calling for his resignation or expulsion until the Swalwell allegations brought sexual misconduct to the fore, opening the door for expelling one member from each party without upsetting the partisan makeup of a narrowly divided House .
"There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all," Gonzales said in a statement Monday evening previewing his intention to leave office. "When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office" . Their resignations mean that those investigations effectively come to an end, since the Ethics Committee only has jurisdiction over sitting members of Congress .
Special Election Implications
His resignation now creates an unexpected vacancy in Texas' 23 Congressional District, a politically competitive seat stretching across a large portion of South and West Texas . Gov. Greg Abbott has the authority to call a special election to fill his seat — should he choose to do so, with a spokesperson for his office saying, "An announcement on the seat will be made at a later date" .
Republican nominee Brandon Herrera responded to the announcement, saying, "I am glad to see real repercussions for the heinous sexual improprieties that both Tony Gonzales and Eric Swalwell have exhibited in Congress" . Herrera has been deeply critical of the congressman's ethical conduct, and had called for him to resign for months, though Gonzales has previously called Herrera a "known neo-Nazi" — an allegation Herrera disputes as "obvious[ly]" untrue .
The dual resignations highlight how sexual misconduct allegations continue to reshape congressional dynamics, forcing both parties to confront ethical violations while navigating the delicate balance of power in a narrowly divided House. With special elections potentially on the horizon, both districts face uncertain political futures as voters will ultimately decide who represents them in these scandal-scarred seats.