Tony Gonzalez announced that he will not seek re-election after an extramarital affair

Rep. Tony Gonzalez, Republican of TexasHe announced Thursday evening that he will not seek re-election amid a House Ethics Committee investigation into a case he admitted to having with a former staffer.

Gonzalez is married with six children. Admit the case made his debut during an appearance on a conservative talk radio show on Wednesday — a day after he advanced to the GOP primary runoff in the congressional district.

“At the age of 18, I swore an oath to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. During 20 years in the military and three terms in Congress, I fought for this cause with absolute devotion to the country I love,” Gonzalez said in a statement.

He continued, “From overcoming the border crisis to taking a stand with my communities after the worst school shooting in Texas history, my philosophy has never changed: Do what you can, and always fight for the greater good.”

Rep. Tony Gonzalez, R-Texas, arrives for a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“After careful consideration and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to run for re-election while serving the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I have always had to my district,” he added. “For the remainder of my term, I will continue to fight for my constituents, for whom I am eternally grateful.”

“I made a mistake, an error in judgment, a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions,” he said on “The Joe Pags Show” Wednesday night. “Since then, I have reconciled with my wife, Angel. I asked God to forgive me, which he did, and my faith is as strong as ever.”

The House Ethics Committee as well I launched an investigation Gonzalez on Wednesday to determine whether he engaged in sexual misconduct with one of his female employees and whether he provided special services or benefits as a result.

The former employee, Regina Santos Aviles, died after setting herself on fire outside her home late last year.

Mike Johnson asks embattled Republican Tony Gonzalez to drop his re-election bid

Rep. Tony Gonzalez, R-Texas, is seen at the US Capitol before the House votes to keep the government funded through March, on Thursday, January 18, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

House GOP leaders called on the embattled actor to abandon his re-election bid.

“The Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into the conduct of Congressman Tony Gonzalez, and we urge them to act quickly. Congressman Gonzalez said he will fully cooperate with the investigation.” Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Los Angeles, other top Republicans said in a statement this week.

“We have encouraged him to address these very serious charges directly with his constituents and colleagues. In the meantime, leadership has asked Congressman Gonzalez to withdraw from his race for re-election,” they added.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and other senior Republicans encouraged Rep. Tony Gonzalez, R-Texas, to withdraw his re-election campaign amid the House Ethics Committee’s investigation into the issue. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

Gonzalez’s departure paves the way for his rival, Brandon Herrera, to take the nomination. Herrera narrowly edged Gonzalez by a 43.33%-41.73% margin in the Texas Republican primary for the 23rd Congressional District on Tuesday, triggering a runoff due to neither candidate receiving 50% of the vote.

Gonzalez initially said he would not step down in the face of the charges, telling reporters in late February, “What you saw is not all the facts.”

Anders Hagstrom and Elizabeth Elkind of Fox News Digital She contributed to this report.

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