Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales drops out of re-election race

(NBC, KYMA) - U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) said he's no longer seeking re-election as he faces mounting pressure from Republican leaders following his admission of an affair with a former staffer who later died by suicide.

Rep. Gonzales, who represents Texas' 23rd Congressional District, had been urged by GOP leadership to drop his re-election bid after publicly acknowledging the relationship.

Party leaders had not initially called for his resignation, instead asking him to withdraw from the 2026 race.

Thursday's announcement comes one day after Gonzales admitted to the affair during an interview on "The Joe Pags Show."

The former staffer was identified as Regina Santos-Aviles, who later died by suicide.

The revelation of the relationship and her death prompted calls for Gonzales to step down and led to a formal investigation by the U.S. House Committee on Ethics.

Gonzales previously said he welcomed the investigation. He said he will carry out the remainder of his term.

Gonzales' decision to bow out of the race appears to clear the field.

On Tuesday, he had been forced into a May runoff against Brandon Herrera, a gun manufacturer and YouTube gun-rights influencer who narrowly lost to him in the 2024 primary.

Herrera beat Gonzales in the 2026 primary, but neither candidate received 50% of the vote, forcing a runoff.