Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection after facing mounting pressure from Republican leaders following revelations that he had an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide.
Gonzales said he will remain in Congress until the end of his current term. In a statement announcing his decision, he said: “After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election while serving out the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I’ve always had in my district.” He added, “Through the rest of my term, I will continue fighting for my constituents, for whom I am eternally grateful.”
The Texas Republican did not mention the affair in the statement. Earlier this week, however, he acknowledged the relationship during an interview with conservative talk show host Joe Pags, saying he “made a mistake” and had a “lapse in judgement.”
The decision followed calls from senior House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and other top GOP leaders, urging Gonzales to withdraw from the race.
Gonzales had been heading toward a May runoff in the Republican primary for Texas’s 23rd Congressional District against Brandon Herrera, a YouTuber and firearms manufacturer who is endorsed by the House Freedom Caucus’s political arm.
With Gonzales stepping aside, Herrera is now expected to become the Republican nominee in the heavily Republican district.
The House Ethics Committee opened a formal investigation into Gonzales on Wednesday to examine whether the relationship violated House rules that prohibit members of Congress from having sexual relationships with staff members.
In his statement, Gonzales highlighted his years of public service, saying: “At 18, I swore an oath to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
During my 20 years in the military and three terms in Congress, I have fought for that cause with absolute dedication to the country that I love.”
He added that during the rest of his term he will continue working on issues including border security and supporting communities affected by the deadliest school shooting in Texas history
