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By Mandy Taheri and Gabe Whisnant
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Republican U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales said he will not resign amid calls from within his own party to do so, as the Texas lawmaker faces allegations of sending sexually explicit text messages to a former staffer, telling CNN’s Manu Raju on Tuesday that “what you've seen is not all the facts.”
Newsweek has reached out to Gonzales' press team for comment via email on Tuesday.
Why It Matters
Several House Republicans have called on their colleague to resign over the reported sexual texts from the U.S. representative to an aide with whom he is alleged to have had an affair. Gonzales, 45, and a married father of six children who has represented Texas' 23rd District since 2021, allegedly sent lewd texts to his then adviser Regina Santos-Aviles, according to messages shared by her widower, Adrian Aviles, and published by the San Antonio Express-News on Monday.
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Santos-Aviles died in September after setting herself on fire outside her home in Uvalde, Texas. She was 35 years old and the mother of an 8-year-old boy. The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office ruled her death a suicide.
What To Know
“I am not going to not resign," Gonzales told CNN on Tuesday. "I work every day for the people of Texas," the third-term congressman said. He declined to directly confirm the authenticity of the alleged text messages to his former staffer or whether an affair had occurred.
“There will be an opportunity for all the details and facts to come out,” he also told CNN. “What you’ve seen is not all the facts. And there will be ample time for all of that to come out.”
Republican Representatives Lauren Boebert, Nancy Mace, Anna Paulina Luna and Thomas Massie are among those to have called on Gonzales to resign since reports of the alleged texts emerged.
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday called the accusations “very serious” and said any ongoing investigations should play out.
In an X post on Thursday, before the texts emerged, Gonzales claimed he was being “blackmailed,” sharing a partial screenshot of an email from Adrian Aviles' attorney, Robert Barrera. The attorney denies the allegation.
Raju also reported that Gonzales plans to speak with Johnson of Louisiana later Tuesday.
In an April 2025 text message extracted from Santos-Aviles' phone by a digital forensics firm, she purportedly wrote, "I had [an] affair with our boss and I'm fine," per the Express-News.
The paper also said that in an alleged May 2024 exchange, Gonzales asked Santos-Aviles for “a sexy pic," which she refused. "I'm just such a visual person," he purportedly responded.
Other exchanges allegedly show that Santos-Aviles twice told the Texas Republican lawmaker he was "going too far," including after Gonzales asked what her "favorite position" was, according to the texts. She asked him to answer first, and he did, before the aide texted: "This is going too far boss. So how long have you thought I was this hot?" per the reported texts.
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What People Are Saying
Boebert, a Colorado Republican, in a Monday X post: "@RepTonyGonzales, RESIGN!"
The Freedom Caucus Fund, in an X post on Monday: "The Freedom Caucus Fund is proud to endorse Brandon Herrera for Congress (TX-23). Brandon is a bold, unapologetic defender of the Second Amendment and a steadfast champion of the constitutional rights that safeguard our freedoms. He understands that the right to keep and bear arms is fundamental to preserving liberty, and he is committed to standing against any effort to undermine it. With an unwavering commitment to America, Brandon Herrera will fight to pass President Trump's America First agenda, secure our border, rein in reckless Washington spending, defend free speech, and put the interests of American citizens above the political establishment."
Johnson, to NBC News 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."
Massie, a Kentucky Republican, in an X post Tuesday: "I’m joining Nancy Mace, Lauren Boebert, and Anna Paulina Luna in calling for Representative Tony Gonzales to resign immediately. Where are the other men in the GOP? Trump is infamous for making terrible endorsements — this is one and it should be revoked."
What Happens Next
Gonzales faces a Republican primary race on March 3, with several challengers, including Brandon Herrera, who lost their 2024 runoff election by less than 400 votes.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
Update 2/24/26, 4 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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