Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales Heads to Runoff Amid Affair Scandal and Calls to Resign
Rep. Tony Gonzales failed to secure a primary majority after a staffer affair scandal. He now faces a runoff against Brandon Herrera in May.
Texas GOP Congressman Faces Runoff After Scandal-Ridden Primary
Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales of Texas is heading into a runoff election after failing to secure an outright majority in his district's primary — all while navigating a deeply damaging personal scandal that has fractured support within his own party.
The Allegations Against Gonzales
Gonzales, who represents southwest Texas' 23rd congressional district, has been at the center of serious misconduct allegations involving a staffer from his Uvalde office. He stands accused of conducting an extramarital affair and exchanging sexually explicit messages with the married employee. The situation took a tragic turn when the staffer died after setting herself on fire near her residence in September 2025.
The six-term congressman, who is married with six children, has firmly denied the allegations. He has gone further, accusing the deceased staffer's husband of attempting to blackmail him. In a defiant post on X during early voting, Gonzales wrote that despite six years in Congress without a single formal complaint, politically motivated attacks had surfaced just days before the election — adding that he was confident his supporters would carry him through.
A Divided Republican Party
Despite Gonzales' pushback, the scandal has sparked notable backlash from within House Republican ranks. Several of his GOP colleagues have publicly called for his resignation, though Gonzales has refused to step down.
Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona, who endorsed Gonzales' opponent both in 2024 and again this cycle, told reporters that any person in a position of power engaging in such behavior with staff acted in an "unbecoming" manner. While acknowledging Gonzales deserved due process, Crane described the alleged conduct as "despicable."
Rep. Mark Harris of North Carolina called the allegations "extremely concerning," while noting that the matter ultimately rests in the hands of district voters. Meanwhile, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina not only called for Gonzales to resign but also introduced a measure this week to compel the House Ethics Committee to publicly disclose information on lawmakers accused of sexually harassing staff members.
Not All Republicans Agree on Resignation
The calls for Gonzales to exit have not been unanimous. Rep. Troy Nehls, a fellow Texas Republican who is retiring, urged caution — pointing to the House GOP's extraordinarily slim majority, which is expected to hover between one and two votes for much of the year.
"He's got a problem here, don't get me wrong. The optics are horrible," Nehls acknowledged. However, he argued that forcing Gonzales out prematurely could hand leverage to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democrats, effectively transferring the gavel to the opposing party. "Accusations aren't enough," Nehls added.
Fox News Digital reported that numerous House Republicans had privately hoped Gonzales would lose his primary, preferring to let voters make the final call rather than forcing a resignation.
Gonzales vs. Herrera: A Rematch in May
Gonzales will now face off in a May runoff against Brandon Herrera, a firearms activist and social media personality who lost to Gonzales in 2024 by fewer than 400 votes. Herrera has earned the endorsement of the House Freedom Caucus' campaign arm and performed strongly enough in the four-way Republican primary to force the rematch.
Voters in Texas' 23rd congressional district will have another opportunity to determine whether Gonzales deserves to keep his seat — or whether his time in Washington has run its course.
