Jim: Tony Gonzales Refuses to Resign as Explicit Texts and Staffer’s Death Rock Re‑election Bid

Republican congressman Tony Gonzales has told reporters he will not resign amid allegations that he pressured a senior staffer into a sexual relationship and exchanged sexually explicit messages; jim appears as an editorial token in this coverage but the central facts concern the texts, the staffer’s death and a growing political backlash.

Jim and Gonzales’s refusal to step down

Gonzales said on Tuesday he would not resign and that there will be an opportunity for all the details and facts to come out. He is running for re‑election, is a three‑term congressman, and has denied an affair while saying on social media that he has been blackmailed and that the allegations are a political smear. He has not addressed newly released text messages that appear to ask a former staffer for intimate photos and to discuss sex acts.

Text messages and the May 9, 2024 exchange

Just after midnight on May 9, 2024, messages show Gonzales asked the staffer to send a “sexy pic. ” The texts include exchanges in which the congressman asked about favorite sex positions and described sexual fantasies. When the staffer pushed back saying the conversation had gone too far, the married congressman persisted, at one point saying he is a very visual person in the thread. A local paper obtained and published portions of these messages, which were later shared with regional reporters by the staffer’s husband.

The staffer’s death and what the police report says

The senior staffer, named Regina Ann Santos‑Aviles in the material released, was the district director in Uvalde. She died in September 2025 after lighting herself on fire; she died the next day at a hospital in San Antonio. The police report provided to regional reporters says she told responding officers she set herself on fire because her husband was romantically involved with her best friend. The report also notes the couple had been estranged for several months after what it describes as "Regina’s supposed affair" strained their relationship. Santos‑Aviles was 35 and she and her husband, Adrian Aviles, shared an 8‑year‑old son. Adrian Aviles shared the text messages with regional reporters as evidence of an alleged relationship between Gonzales and the staffer.

GOP pressure, an ethics resolution and the March primary

Calls for Gonzales to resign came from several House Republicans. Members named in the push for his resignation include Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, and Nancy Mace of South Carolina; earlier calls came from Brandon Gill and Chip Roy. Gill has endorsed Gonzales’s main opponent and urged Gonzales to drop out of the race. Nancy Mace has introduced a resolution aimed at forcing the House ethics committee to publicly release wider reports and records of allegations of sexual harassment against members of Congress. The US House speaker said he would speak to Gonzales, that the accusations must be taken seriously, and that investigations should be allowed to play out; he stopped short of calling for resignation. Donald Trump endorsed Gonzales for reelection in December.

Electoral stakes: Brandon Herrera and the possibility of a flipped seat

Gonzales faces a tough Republican primary on 3 March. His main GOP rival is Brandon Herrera, described in the record as a gun manufacturer and gun rights influencer who nearly unseated Gonzales in 2024; other descriptions identify Herrera as a gun rights activist and YouTuber. The campaign is described as bruising and in turmoil, with commentary that the race’s disarray could create an opening for Democrats to flip the seat.

Gonzales’s response, outstanding items and next steps

Gonzales did not respond to a request for comment tied to the newly released messages. He had said in November that rumors of an affair were completely untruthful. As additional messages became public over the last week, he has sidestepped direct denials, accused Adrian Aviles of trying to blackmail him, and blamed his primary opponent for politicizing the issue. He has called for the full police report on Santos‑Aviles’s death to be released; Uvalde officials provided the report to regional reporters on Monday. Details may evolve as investigations and reporting continue.