Scandal-Plagued Gonzales Pushed by GOP to End Reelection (2)

House Republican leaders are urging Texas GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales to drop his reelection bid after he admitted to having an affair with a late staff member, they said in a statement Thursday.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and the next three highest-ranking House Republicans said in the joint statement that they’ve “encouraged” Gonzales to address the “very serious allegations” with his constituents, and have asked him to withdraw from reelection. Gonzales earlier this week advanced to a May primary runoff against conservative influencer Brandon Herrera.

The top House Democrat, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), also said Thursday that he would support the Texas Republican’s expulsion because he “violated the law.” If a member were to bring forward an expulsion resolution against Gonzales, it would require a two-thirds majority of the House to succeed. The chamber most recently expelled ex-Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), a serial fraudster, in 2023.

The House Ethics Committee earlier this week announced an investigation into allegations Gonzales had a sexual relationship with a staff member who later died by suicide. The Texas Republican, who previously said his political opponents were blackmailing him with the claims, told conservative talk show host Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo in an interview that aired Wednesday that he did have an affair with Regina Santos-Aviles when she worked for him.

“I made a mistake and I had a lapse of judgment and there was a lack of faith,” Gonzales said, adding that he took “full responsibility for the actions.” The Texas congressman said he has since reconciled with his wife and “asked God to forgive me, which he has.”

It’s against House rules for a member of Congress to engage in sexual relationships with staff. Multiple House members in Gonzales’ own party have called for him to resign immediately.

Other House Republicans, now including leadership, have called on Gonzales to drop his reelection bid, which would still allow him to serve out the rest of the year. If Gonzales left the chamber early, Johnson’s GOP majority would drop from its already-thin 218-214 margin.

Herrera garnered more votes than Gonzales in Tuesday’s primary election, but neither candidate got more than 50% of the vote, which forces a runoff election currently scheduled for May 26. The conservative House Freedom Caucus has endorsed Herrera, who has criticized Gonzales for having an affair with a former aide.

House GOP leaders urged the Ethics Committee to “act expeditiously” in the Thursday statement.