Texas lawmaker drops re-election bid after admitting affair with aide

Texas Republican congressman Tony Gonzales has dropped his re-election bid after admitting an affair, which he had previously denied, with a staff member who died by suicide.

The decision comes after the most senior members of his party in Congress released a statement calling for him to end his campaign.

"After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election," he said in a statement posted to X.

It also comes as lawmakers prepare an ethics investigation into Gonzales, and days after he failed to convince voters to back him for the party's nomination ahead of the mid-term congressional elections.

On Thursday, the Republican leadership in Congress said Gonzales should end his re-election campaign.

"We have encouraged him to address these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues," said a joint statement from Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Tom Emmer and congresswoman Lisa McClain.

On Wednesday, the married father-of-six confirmed he had had a relationship with married staff member Regina Santos-Aviles.

Gonzales had previously dismissed the allegations as "blackmail" and a "co-ordinated" attack to unseat him.

Hours before his admission, the House Ethics Committee announced it was launching an investigation into whether Gonzales "engaged in sexual misconduct" towards one of his employees.

Regina Santos-Aviles died in September 2025, after setting herself on fire near her home in Uvalde, Texas. The medical examiner ruled her death a suicide, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News.

Gonzales told conservative podcaster Joe Pags in an interview released on Wednesday that Santos-Aviles' death had nothing to do with the affair, saying she was "thriving" at work.

"I had absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing," he said. "And, in fact, I was shocked just as much as everyone else."

If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide: www.befrienders.org. In the UK, a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline. Readers in the US and Canada can call the 988 suicide helpline or visit its website.

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