House GOP Leaders Urge Rep. Tony Gonzales to End Reelection Bid

House GOP Leaders Call for Gonzales to Withdraw

On Thursday in Washington, House Republican leaders called on Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas to end his campaign for reelection. Their request followed the announcement of a House Ethics Committee investigation into his conduct involving a staff member who later died by suicide.

The statement from House GOP leadership said the Ethics Committee had announced an investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales's conduct and urged the committee to act expeditiously. The statement also said Gonzales had indicated he would fully cooperate with the investigation. It added that leadership had asked Gonzales to withdraw from his race for reelection while the inquiry proceeds.

Leaders Outline Ethics Concerns and Next Steps

The statement was issued by House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, and GOP conference chairwoman Lisa McClain of Michigan. They said they had encouraged Gonzales to address the allegations directly with his constituents and colleagues.

Earlier on Wednesday, the House Ethics Committee said it was launching an investigation into whether Gonzales engaged in sexual misconduct with an employee or discriminated unfairly by dispensing special favors or privileges. The committee referenced House rules that prohibit lawmakers from engaging in relationships with any employee under their supervision and that ban unwelcome sexual advances or conduct toward staff.

Asked about Gonzales on Wednesday, Johnson said both the Office of Congressional Conduct and the House Ethics Committee were reviewing the matter. He stated that leadership would allow due process and investigations to play out.

Gonzales Acknowledges Relationship with Staffer

Gonzales, whose primary on Tuesday advanced to a May runoff, acknowledged on Wednesday that he had a relationship with a staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles. In comments to conservative radio host Joe Pags, Gonzales said he had made a mistake, had a lapse in judgment, and a lack of faith, and that he took full responsibility for his actions.

According to a text exchange from May 2024, Gonzales sent explicit messages to Santos-Aviles, including a request for a "sexy pic" and a question about her "favorite position." In that exchange, Santos-Aviles responded, "This is going too far boss."

Death of Staffer and Reactions Within Congress

Regina Santos-Aviles died in September 2025 after setting herself on fire. Her death followed the period in which the explicit text messages were sent, according to the May 2024 exchange. The article does not state that the Ethics Committee has linked her death to the conduct under investigation, only that both events involve the same staffer.

On Thursday, McClain noted that House Republican leaders did not call on Gonzales to resign from Congress. She also said at a news conference that her hope was that he would finish out the rest of his term. Nevertheless, Gonzales is facing calls from Democrats and some Republicans to step down immediately.

Later Thursday, Johnson compared the leadership’s call for Gonzales to end his reelection campaign to a political "death penalty." At the same time, he observed that "the voters have spoken last night," referring to the completed primary that placed Gonzales into a May runoff. The House GOP currently holds a one-vote margin, a fact that underscores the potential impact of any change in membership.