A fierce wave of House Republicans is calling for the immediate resignation of Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas following disturbing reports of an alleged affair with a congressional staffer who later took her own life.
The internal pressure reached a boiling point Tuesday when Representative Thomas Massie joined a growing list of colleagues demanding Gonzales step down, pointing to the gravity of the allegations and the tragic death of the aide involved.
The controversy surrounds Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, a former staff member who died by suicide after setting herself on fire. According to reports from the San Antonio Express-News, Santos-Aviles sent a message to a coworker in April 2025 that read, “I had an affair with our boss, and I’m fine.”
However, the situation became more volatile when leaked text messages surfaced, appearing to show Gonzales pressuring the staffer to send explicit photographs.
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Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna has been among the most vocal critics, arguing that Gonzales must at least withdraw from his reelection campaign.
Luna voiced deep frustration with the culture in Washington, stating, “There is a serious problem up here, largely surrounding sexual misconduct. It pi**es me off because while some of us are actually working and busting our as*es, these clowns are sexually harassing their own staff, doing illegal crap, insider trading, etc. It sets a terrible precedent for the entire institution.”
Luna continued her public criticism by calling the behavior “reprehensible” and a “poor reflection on the Republican Party.” She argued that the entire Texas delegation and every member of Congress should condemn a sitting representative for asking a staffer for explicit photos.
“As a woman, this is really disgusting to see. Not to mention, it brings dishonor on the House of Representatives. I am so sick of people not calling this crap out. Again, like I’ve said before, this is not the only case of this crap up here. @RepTonyGonzales, shame on you,” she added.
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Gonzales has firmly denied the claims, dismissing them as “personal smears” created by his primary opponent to sway the upcoming election. Last week, he stated he would not be “blackmailed,” specifically mentioning the deceased staffer’s husband seeking financial damages.
Despite his defiance, fellow Texas Republican Chip Roy told reporters he believes Gonzales should exit the race.
“For the good of the country, good of the party, and to move forward, he should just step out of the race,” Roy said.
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