There will no longer be a run-off election for Texas’s 23rd Congressional District.
As the WLT Report previously covered, on Thursday, Representative Tony Gonzales (R-TX) admitted he had an affair with a former staffer who later committed suicide after setting herself on fire.
Rep. Gonzales made the confession after failing to secure the votes needed to win his Republican primary, forcing him into a runoff against his opponent, Brandon Herrera.
No, it’s been reported that Gonzales has announced he will no longer seek re-election.
CBS provided the full scoop:
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales dropped his reelection bid for his Texas congressional district on Thursday, after admitting to an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.
“After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek reelection while serving out the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I’ve always had to my district,” Gonzales said in a statement on X that did not directly mention the scandal that has dogged the three-term congressman in recent weeks.
Gonzales was set to face off against hard-right gun activist Brandon Herrera in a GOP primary runoff in May. Herrera will now face Democrat Katy Padilla Stout in November.
The 23rd Congressional District, which covers a large swath of the U.S.-Mexico border and West Texas, heavily favors Republicans.
Full statement from Gonzales:
— Rep. Tony Gonzales (@RepTonyGonzales) March 6, 2026
Here’s Gonzales admitting to the affair:
🚨 Tony Gonzales has admitted publicly to having an affair with one of his staffers.
“I made a mistake. I had a lapse in judgment. And I take full responsibility for those actions.”
Only he doesn’t actually take responsibility for his actions, because he refuses to drop out. pic.twitter.com/DTC9lX2Uc2
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) March 5, 2026
Here’s Brandon Herrera, who is now the Republican nominee for the 23rd District:
BREAKING: Brandon Herrera has WON the TX 23 primary as Rep. Gonzalez drops out pic.twitter.com/yPC2Bq6Npf
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 6, 2026
CBS News reported more on the tragic death of Regina Santos-Aviles:
Regina Santos-Aviles, an aide to Rep. Tony Gonzales, wrote a text message to a colleague that she had an affair with the Republican congressman. Months later, Santos-Aviles, 35, died after allegedly setting herself on fire.
“I had affair with our boss and I’m fine,” Santos-Aviles said in the text exchange, which was viewed by CBS News.
The news was first reported by the San Antonio Express-News.
Santos-Aviles died on Sept. 14, 2025, after she was found critically burned the night before near her home in Uvalde, according to the Uvalde Police Department. The Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled the death a suicide in November, according CBS San Antonio affiliate KENS.
In a statement on Wednesday, Gonzales would not comment on the allegations, saying he would not “engage in these personal smears and instead remain focused on helping President Trump secure the border and improve the lives of all Texans.”
In a November appearance on a panel, the 45-year-old congressman denied the affair, saying “the rumors are completely untruthful.” Gonzales is a married father of six, and Santos-Aviles was also married and had a son.
ADVERTISEMENT
How do you rate it?
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!