Pressure is mounting for Congressman Tony Gonzales to suspend his reelection campaign as the rumors of his affair with one of his staffers began to receive widespread reporting just as early voting began in Texas. That staffer, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, would go on to commit a horrific suicide by setting herself on fire in a gut-wrenching story.
Gonzales continues to deny the affair, despite text messages emerging that have confirmed it, as well as Santos-Aviles’s apparent apprehension to the entire situation. He has claimed that he’s being blackmailed and called for the police report of the incident to be released. The report stated that Santos-Aviles told police, who found her still alive, that the reasoning for her suicide was because she discovered that her estranged husband began a romantic relationship with her best friend after he discovered the affair with her boss. Not exactly the vindication that Gonzales was looking for…
The content of some of these texts are particularly graphic, but I will provide them for you below. Read them at your own discretion.
🚨UPDATE🚨
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) February 18, 2026
There's new text messages suggesting married Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales had an affair with his aide Regina Aviles.
Aviles later took her own life after setting herself on fire in her backyard.
In texts, Aviles admitted, "I had affair with our boss." Aviles's… pic.twitter.com/YkiI1WMU7H
NEWS: Recently obtained texts show Rep. Tony Gonzales made explicit sexual requests to late staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, who repeatedly pushed back.https://t.co/HrJOa9b69i
— Juliegrace Brufke (@juliegraceb) February 23, 2026
Politically, Gonzales was already in deep trouble. In 2024, he very narrowly avoided losing a primary campaign against the internet-famous guntuber Brandon Herrera, who lost the runoff election by a measly 354 votes. The two are set for a rematch this year, with a loss from Gonzales being all but certain and the only path to victory being through his endorsement from Donald Trump.
It would be no surprise if that endorsement disappeared, either. Trump has already rescinded the endorsement of Rep. Jeff Hurd, a vocal opponent of Trump’s tariff agenda. Gonzales himself also has had a rather poor voting record on the issues that matter. NumbersUSA has him tied for third for worst Texas Republican on immigration, just barely fairing better than John Cornyn. America First Insight gave him a D+ rating, and endorsed Herrera in the race.
Rep. Brandon Gill, one of the most impressive freshman legislators from this Congress, has joined in on the calls for Gonzales to end his futile campaign. The message clearly went out that Gonzales is a sinking ship, because countless other colleagues have joined in with Gill. Funding from the party apparatus has abandoned him. Countless key endorsements have manifested for Herrera in the last few days. It is an unwinnable position for Gonzales, and it will only get worse as Mar. 3 approaches.
America deserves better.
— Brandon Gill (@realBrandonGill) February 23, 2026
Tony should drop out of the race. https://t.co/djJJVu7dJm
🚨Report: The NRCC is abandoning Tony Gonzales in the GOP Primary for the Texas 23rd Congressional District due to his many scandals.
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) February 23, 2026
The NRCC doesn't have a pro-Gonzales buy placed in the airwaves this week, after spending over $ 450,000 on his behalf over the last four weeks. pic.twitter.com/GcGd2h18Uc
The Freedom Caucus Fund is proud to endorse Brandon Herrera (@TheAKGuy) for Congress (TX-23).
— Freedom Caucus Fund (@FreedomCFund) February 23, 2026
Brandon is a bold, unapologetic defender of the Second Amendment and a steadfast champion of the constitutional rights that safeguard our freedoms. He understands that the right to… pic.twitter.com/U14THm48Rr
TX-23 GOP Primary (Herrera internal)
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) February 23, 2026
Brandon Herrera — 45%
Tony Gonzales (inc) — 21%
Francisco Canseco — 4%
Keith Barton — 4%
Not sure: 26%
——
• Political Intelligence | 2/18-20 | 543 LV
• Source: @RenzoDowney (TX Tribune) pic.twitter.com/QnqHSDUZ64
The fact that his campaign has carried on thus far is, quite frankly, insane. Tony Ortiz of Current Revolt (a person you should follow if you have any interest in Texas politics) exposed the affair nearly six months ago and nothing came of it until election season kicked into full force.
Whether he suspends his campaign or not, Gonzales will be ousted from politics during this primary season. It is far better for the country, for the Republican party, and, most importantly, for the soul of Gonzales if he hangs it up now rather than drag this into another runoff that he will surely lose.
