Tony Gonzales faces bipartisan calls to resign after release of texts
Republican Rep. tony gonzales of Texas is confronting new pressure to leave office after newly released text messages between the congressman and a former aide prompted bipartisan calls for his resignation. The disclosures come as the incumbent prepares to face voters in a primary next week, raising immediate questions about his political future.
Text messages spark cross-party outrage on Monday
Newly released messages between the congressman and a former aide produced public denunciations on Monday from elected officials across the aisle. Representative Lauren Boebert, a hard-right Republican from Colorado, wrote "Resign!" in a social media post that included images of the text messages. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican on the House Oversight Committee, urged colleagues to condemn Mr. Gonzales for "asking for explicit photos" of a member of his staff. Representative Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina, said Mr. Gonzales should resign immediately instead of "campaigning like nothing happened. " A national newspaper highlighted several GOP colleagues who now believe he needs to go.
Allegations tied to former aide Regina Santos-Aviles and a published message
Last week, his hometown newspaper published a text message from Regina Santos-Aviles, a former aide to the congressman, in which she said she had an extramarital affair with Gonzales. Santos-Aviles died by suicide last year. The newspaper also described a former aide who came forward to say Santos-Aviles had told him about the relationship; that aide, who asked not to be named citing a fear of retaliation, provided a text from Santos-Aviles in which she wrote, "had an affair with our boss. " He shared the same evidence with a major national newspaper.
Lawyer discloses additional sexually explicit messages; verification remains unresolved
This week, a lawyer for Santos-Aviles' husband disclosed additional, sexually explicit text messages that the GOP congressman allegedly sent to his former aide. The organization publishing the article has not independently verified the authenticity of the texts, which multiple news organizations reviewed in detail. Gonzales has long denied having a sexual relationship with his former aide and has denied wrongdoing; he is a married father of six.
Political fallout for Tony Gonzales: calls, endorsements and accusations
Some Texas Republicans stopped short of demanding immediate removal but urged political consequences. Texas Reps. Chip Roy and Brandon Gill urged Gonzales to end his re-election campaign while not calling for outright ouster. At the same time, Gonzales has accused his primary rival, YouTube personality Brandon Herrera, and Santos-Aviles' husband of trying to blackmail him. President Donald Trump formally endorsed Gonzales last week, and that endorsement remains intact for now.
Leadership reaction and uncertainty over his congressional future
Pressed for answers on Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said the underlying allegations are "serious, " and said he has urged Gonzales to address the controversy "in an appropriate way with his constituents. " The allegations have surfaced previously, but the newly disclosed messages have elevated scrutiny. Support and questions now swirl around tony gonzales as voters head into the primary, and it is an open question whether his congressional career will come to a premature end in the very near future.
