Jim: Tony Gonzales Refuses to Resign as Texts, Death of Aide Deepen GOP Turmoil

Republican congressman Tony Gonzales refused to resign on Tuesday amid allegations that he pressured a senior staffer into a sexual relationship, and newly released messages that include a request for a “sexy pic” and the subsequent death of the staffer have intensified scrutiny; jim

Jim and the immediate fallout

Gonzales has been accused of sending sexually explicit text messages in which he appeared to pressure a senior staffer to share images and, ultimately, coerced her into a sexual relationship. He told reporters on Tuesday that he would not resign, saying there would be time for the details and facts to come out. The dispute has prompted growing calls for him to step down from several House Republicans while others have urged patience pending investigations.

What the texts show

Text messages published by local outlets include exchanges from May of last year. Just after midnight on May 9, 2024 — at 12. 15am on 9 May — one message attributed to Gonzales said: “Send me a sexy pic. ” Other messages published show the congressman asking about favorite sex positions and fantasizing about having sex with the staffer. In one exchange, when the staffer pushed back that the conversation had gone too far, the married congressman persisted, saying he was “just such a visual person. ”

Calls for resignation and Republican reaction

Several House Republicans demanded Gonzales step down. Congressman Thomas Massie joined representatives from across the GOP in calling for his resignation, and others such as Lauren Boebert, Anna Paulina Luna and Nancy Mace added public pressure. Earlier calls came from Texas Republicans Brandon Gill and Chip Roy; Gill endorsed Gonzales’s main opponent and said, “America deserves better. ”

Representative Nancy Mace announced a resolution intended to compel the House ethics committee to publicly release its wider reports and records of allegations of sexual harassment against members of Congress. The House speaker said he would speak to Gonzales, stressing that the accusations must be taken seriously while also urging that investigations be allowed to run their course and all facts be revealed.

Details on Regina Ann Santos-Aviles and her death

The staffer at the center of the allegations is named Regina Ann Santos-Aviles (also referenced as Regina Santos-Aviles). She served as the congressman’s district director in Uvalde and was 35 in the messages that have been published. She later died by suicide after setting herself on fire; she died the next day at a hospital in San Antonio. Her husband, Adrian Aviles, shared text messages as evidence that an affair occurred and said the relationship and the professional ostracization his wife faced after it was discovered left her despondent.

Police documents provided to a regional outlet state that Santos-Aviles told responding officers she set herself on fire because her husband was romantically involved with her best friend. The couple had been estranged for several months after what was described as “Regina’s supposed affair” strained the relationship. She and Adrian Aviles shared an 8-year-old son.

Gonzales’ response and political posture

Gonzales, a three-term congressman and father-of-six, has denied the affair. He previously described rumors on social media as a political smear and said he was being blackmailed. As additional messages surfaced this week, he did not directly repeat a blanket denial; instead he accused Adrian Aviles of trying to blackmail him and blamed his primary opponent for politicizing the matter. Gonzales has called for the full police report related to Santos-Aviles’s death to be released; Uvalde officials provided the report to a regional outlet for review.

Campaign consequences and what’s next

Gonzales is running for re-election and is in the midst of a bruising campaign now in turmoil. He faces a contested Republican primary on 3 March that could cost him his seat. His main GOP rival is Brandon Herrera, a gun manufacturer and gun rights influencer who nearly unseated Gonzales in 2024. The race has become chaotic enough that there is chatter about a possible chance for Democrats to flip the district.

Herrera has used the allegations in campaign material, accusing Gonzales of a taxpayer-funded affair with a married staffer and saying the congressman should step down. The controversy remains active and is likely to shape the primary fight in the days ahead; jim