Amid predator accusations, House Republicans begin turning on one of own
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, at a ribbon cutting event for the grand opening of a Domestic New World Screwworm sterile fly production facility in Edinburg on Feb. 9, 2026. Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) faces mounting calls to resign from fellow Republicans following allegations of an affair with Regina Santos-Áviles, who ran his congressional office in Uvalde and died after setting herself on fire last year. Newly revealed text messages show Gonzales pressured Santos-Aviles to send him "sexy pics," making her uncomfortable. Both were married. Primary challenger Brandon Herrera called Gonzales a "sexual predator" who abused his power and stated this was not an isolated case. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) posted "RESIGN" and urged redirecting campaign funds to Herrera. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) condemned the behavior as disgraceful. House Speaker Mike Johnson took a cautious approach, calling for investigations to conclude before judgment, though suggesting Gonzales' position would be untenable if allegations were proven true.

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