WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) publicly admitted on Wednesday to engaging in a sexual relationship with a former staffer who later died by suicide, marking a sharp escalation in a scandal that has triggered a formal House Ethics Committee investigation and thrown his re-election campaign into turmoil.
The admission came during an interview with talk show host Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo, just one day after the Texas primary elections. Gonzales, 45, failed to secure the 50% majority needed to clinch the Republican nomination for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, forcing him into a high-stakes May 26 runoff against gun-rights activist Brandon Herrera.
Ethics Committee Launches Misconduct Investigation
The House Ethics Committee announced Wednesday that it has voted to establish an investigative subcommittee to determine if Gonzales violated the House Code of Official Conduct. Under House rules, members of Congress are strictly prohibited from engaging in sexual relationships with any individual employed in their congressional office.
The probe will specifically examine whether Gonzales:
- Engaged in sexual misconduct toward a staff member.
- Discriminated unfairly by “dispensing special favors or privileges.”
- Violated federal laws or regulations related to his official duties.
“I made a mistake, and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions,” Gonzales told Pagliarulo, adding that he has since “reconciled” with his wife and sought religious forgiveness.
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Allegations and the Death of Regina Santos-Aviles
The staffer at the center of the investigation, Regina Santos-Aviles, died by suicide in September 2025 at her property in Uvalde, Texas.
The scandal broke into the public eye in February after the San Antonio Express-News reported that Santos-Aviles had confided in a colleague about a romantic entanglement with the congressman. Text messages allegedly sent by Gonzales in May 2024—including one asking Santos-Aviles for a “sexy pic”—were subsequently obtained and published.
While Gonzales admitted to the relationship, he denied any direct culpability in Santos-Aviles’ death, describing her passing as a “shock to everyone” and maintaining that she was “thriving at work” prior to the incident.
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Political Fallout and the Path Ahead
The timing of the admission and the Ethics probe creates a precarious path for Gonzales’ political future. Despite calls from some Republican colleagues for his resignation, House Speaker Mike Johnson has urged a “due process” approach.
“As in every case like this, you have to allow the investigations to play out and all the facts to come out,” Johnson told reporters, per NPR.
Gonzales remains defiant regarding his political prospects, noting that he is no stranger to the runoff process. “This is my third runoff in four cycles,” he told CNN. “We’ll win this runoff as well.”
If Gonzales survives the May 26 runoff against Herrera, he is scheduled to face Democratic challenger Katy Padilla Stout in the November general election. The House Ethics Committee has not yet provided a timeline for when its findings will be released.
