Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas is facing new allegations of sending sexually explicit text messages to a campaign staffer in 2020. The San Antonio Express-News published messages in which Gonzales, who is married and has six children, repeatedly asked the staffer for nude photos and made explicit comments. The staffer, who worked as his political director during his 2020 campaign, confirmed the accuracy of the messages to NBC News.
Gonzales has not publicly responded to the latest allegations. This comes after he admitted in March to a romantic relationship with another staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide in 2024. The House Ethics Committee is investigating whether Gonzales violated House rules prohibiting romantic relationships between members of Congress and their staff. The committee has not commented on the latest allegations.
Gonzales dropped out of his primary runoff in March but has stated he intends to serve out the remainder of his term, which ends in January 2027. His seat is critical to the Republican majority, which holds a narrow 217-214 advantage over Democrats.