Texas Congressman Accused of Pursuing Lewd Texts with Second Aide

New batch of explicit messages raises fresh dilemma for House GOP leadership.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:21pm

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A fragmented, abstract painting depicting a politician's hand holding a smartphone, the screen displaying a series of overlapping, blurred text messages in shades of blue, grey, and red, conveying the chaotic and scandalous nature of the situation.The resurfacing of explicit text messages between a Texas congressman and his former aides has created a new political crisis for House Republican leadership.Gonzales Today

Representative Tony Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, is facing renewed scrutiny after a report surfaced alleging he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a former campaign aide in 2020, in addition to his previously admitted affair with a congressional staff member. The new revelations present a fresh dilemma for House GOP leadership as they navigate the political fallout.

Why it matters

The allegations against Gonzales raise concerns about abuse of power and unethical conduct by an elected official. The situation also poses a challenge for House Republican leaders, who must decide how to address the congressman's actions while trying to maintain their slim majority.

The details

According to a report by the San Antonio Express-News, Gonzales allegedly pressed a former campaign aide in 2020 to send him nude photographs and have sex with him. The aide came forward after reading about Gonzales' previous affair with a congressional staff member, saying she saw similarities in how the congressman had treated her. The explicit text messages have not been independently verified by The New York Times.

  • In March 2026, Gonzales admitted to a sexual relationship with a staff member who later took her own life.
  • In June 2020, the alleged inappropriate texts with the former campaign aide were sent.
  • On April 6, 2026, the new batch of texts was reported by the San Antonio Express-News.

The players

Representative Tony Gonzales

A Republican congressman from Texas who has admitted to an affair with a congressional staff member and is now accused of pursuing inappropriate sexual relationships with female subordinates.

Regina Santos-Aviles

A former congressional aide with whom Gonzales admitted to having a sexual relationship, and who later took her own life.

Mike Johnson

The Speaker of the House, who along with other top Republicans have called for Gonzales to end his re-election campaign but have not pressed him to resign from Congress.

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What’s next

House Republican leaders must decide how to address the new allegations against Gonzales and whether to take further disciplinary action, as they try to maintain their slim majority in the chamber.

The takeaway

The latest revelations about Gonzales' conduct raise serious concerns about abuse of power and unethical behavior by an elected official. The situation presents a challenging political dilemma for House GOP leadership, who must balance maintaining party unity with upholding ethical standards.