The Texas Republican shared the decision in a late-night post on X.
SAN ANTONIO — Congressman Tony Gonzales, embroiled in a controversy that’s clouded his reelection campaign, announced Thursday night in a post on X that he was dropping out of the race.
“After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election while serving out the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I’ve always had to my district,” the three-term Republican said in the post.
The announcement comes a day after Gonzales appeared on a conservation online radio show and directly addressed, for the first time, allegations that he had an affair with a former staffer. That staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, took her own life at her Uvalde home in September.
In recent weeks, texts shared by the attorney for Santos-Aviles’ estranged husband showed that Gonzales texted her lewd messages in May 2024, asking for “a sexy pic” and inquiring about her favorite sexual positions.
He had advanced to a primary runoff with gun rights activist Brandon Herrera, who has used the scandal as an opportunity to attack Gonzales.
The congressman had previously rejected multiple calls to resign, some of them coming from inside his own party.
This is a developing story.