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By Gabe Whisnant
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Republican Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado became the first sitting member of her party to call for the resignation of GOP Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas over his alleged affair with a former staffer who later died after she set herself on fire.
Boebert reposted a post by Juliegrace Brufke of 24SightNews on X that included alleged text messages from Gonzales to his late staffer, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, asking for explicit photos, which she pushed back on.
The Colorado congresswoman tagged Gonzales in her post and wrote: "RESIGN!"
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Later Monday, Republicans Nancy Mace (South Carolina) and Anna Paulina Luna (Florida) also called for Gonzales to step down in posts on X.
Luna posted, "The entire Texas delegation, as well as every single other Member of Congress, should be condemning a sitting Member of Congress asking for explicit photos of their staff. As a woman, this is really disgusting to see. Not to mention, it brings dishonor on the House of Representatives. I am so sick of people not calling this crap out. Again, like I’ve said before, this is not the only case of this crap up here. @RepTonyGonzales, shame on you."
Newsweek has reached out to Gonzales' office via email on Monday afternoon for comment.
Gonzales Says He Is Being 'Blackmailed'
Gonzales said last week that he is being “blackmailed” following a report alleging he had an affair with Santos-Aviles.
The married congressman made the claim after the San Antonio Express‑News reported it had obtained text messages in which Santos‑Aviles told a colleague she had an affair with Gonzales. The newspaper reported the messages were exchanged last year.
The Associated Press has not independently obtained copies of the messages.
Emails And Allegations Emerge After Staffer’s Death
An attorney for Adrian Aviles, Santos‑Aviles’ husband, said Thursday that Aviles learned of the alleged affair before his wife’s death. Santos-Aviles, 35, died in September 2025 after setting herself on fire in the backyard of her home in Uvalde, Texas. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office later ruled her death a suicide by self‑immolation.
Newsweek reached out to Gonzales’ office and an attorney representing the congressman for comment.
Gonzales, who represents a sprawling district that stretches from San Antonio to El Paso and runs along the U.S.‑Mexico border, is running for reelection in the March 3 Republican primary. He and his wife have six children.
Gonzales Posts Email, Alleges Extortion Attempt
On social media Thursday, Gonzales posted what he described as a partial screenshot of an email from Aviles’ attorney and accused him of attempting to extract money.
“I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED,” Gonzales wrote in a post on X. “Disgusting to see people profit politically and financially off a tragic death.”
In the email shared by Gonzales, attorney Robert Barrera discussed a possible lawsuit against the lawmaker and referenced a potential settlement that would include a nondisclosure agreement. The email states that the maximum recoverable amount could be $300,000.
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Attorney denies blackmail claim
Barrera denied that he or his client attempted to blackmail the congressman.
“It is a desperate attempt to once again cast himself as a political victim,” Barrera told AP via phone on Thursday. “There’s no blackmail here. It’s a ridiculous allegation.”
Barrera said the email Gonzales posted publicly was part of ongoing discussions between the two sides after Aviles decided to pursue a potential civil claim under the Congressional Accountability Act. The law provides workplace protections for employees in the legislative branch, including protections against harassment, discrimination and retaliation.
Claim Centers On Alleged Retaliation At Work
According to Barrera, Aviles alleges that after Gonzales learned of the affair, the congressman retaliated against Santos‑Aviles by sharply restricting her job duties, limiting her access and curtailing her opportunities for professional advancement.
Barrera said his client is seeking acknowledgment of the alleged affair rather than political consequences for the lawmaker.
“There’s nothing political here,” Barrera said. “There’s no demand for him to resign. That decision belongs to the voters in that district.”
Political Fallout Grows Ahead Of Primary
Gonzales has been endorsed by President Donald Trump but faces a renewed primary challenge from Brandon Herrera, the Texas congressman's most prominent and well‑funded opponent in the GOP primary. Herrera is a gun‑rights activist and YouTube personality who narrowly lost to Gonzales in a 2024 runoff. Herrera called on Gonzales to resign following the report.
In a statement to The Texas Tribune, Gonzales described Santos‑Aviles as “a kind soul who devoted her life to making the community a better place.” He said he would not “engage in these personal smears” and would remain focused on border security and other policy priorities.
The controversy has intensified scrutiny of Gonzales’ campaign just weeks before voters head to the polls.
Republicans currently hold 220 seats and to the Democrats' 213, with two vacant seats, giving the GOP a seven‑seat edge in raw numbers but only a slim working majority in the 435‑member House.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told NBC News' Ryan Nobles on Monday: "I endorsed Tony before all these allegations came out, they're obviously very serious, and I've spoken with him and told him he's got to address that in an appropriate way with his constituents. So, it's too early for anybody to prejudge any of that, but we'll see how it develops."
When informed of Johnson's comments, Mace told reporters Monday, "That's the answer for everything in this place. That's why everybody gets away with everything here.”
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Update 2/23/26, 4:56 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Update 2/23/26, 7:58 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information. The headline was updated to indicate additional GOP calls for Gonzales to resign.
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