Scandal-Plagued GOP Congressman Announces Sudden Resignation

U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) announced Monday that he will resign from Congress in the coming days. The decision came just hours after U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) said he would also step down.

“There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office,” Gonzales, who represents Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, wrote in a post on X. “It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas,” he added.

Gonzales’ announcement follows a series of personal and political challenges. About a month earlier, he suspended his re-election campaign after acknowledging an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide. Party leaders and several colleagues had urged him to withdraw after he advanced to a runoff against Second Amendment activist and YouTuber Brandon Herrera.

Gonzales addressed the situation publicly during a March 4 appearance on “The Joe Pags Show.”

“I made a mistake, and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions,” he said after weeks of speculation. “Since then, I’ve reconciled with my wife, Angel. I’ve asked God to forgive me, which he has, and my faith is as strong as ever.”

The former staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, worked as a regional director in Gonzales’ district office and died in September 2025. Reports indicated she had previously confided in a colleague about the relationship, including sharing a text message referencing an “affair with our boss.”

Gonzales later confirmed the relationship when announcing the suspension of his campaign.

His resignation comes shortly after Swalwell’s own announcement. Swalwell has faced allegations of sexual misconduct from multiple women, and there had been growing discussion in the House about potential expulsion proceedings if members involved did not step down voluntarily.

Attention is now turning to Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), who was recently convicted in a fraud case involving federal disaster relief funds. Several Republicans have indicated that efforts to expel the Florida lawmaker are underway.