Texas voters in the 23rd Congressional District will see a different name on the ballot this November after Representative Tony Gonzales announced Thursday he would not seek re-election. The decision came after Gonzales admitted to an affair with a former staffer, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, who later died by suicide in September 2025.
Herrera will now face Democrat Katy Padilla Stout in the general election.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, along with Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, and House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, publicly called on Gonzales to drop his re-election bid and urged the House Ethics Committee to expedite its investigation. National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson echoed this sentiment, saying Gonzales should withdraw from the runoff.
Gonzales initially denied the affair but admitted to a "lapse in judgment" on Wednesday during a radio show appearance. He stated he had reconciled with his wife and sought forgiveness from God. Text messages viewed by CBS News showed Santos-Aviles telling Gonzales "this is going too far boss" after he asked for a "sexy pic" in 2024.
With Gonzales stepping aside, the race for Texas's 23rd congressional district is now an open contest between Herrera and Stout.
Texas voters in the 23rd Congressional District will see a different name on the ballot this November after Representative Tony Gonzales announced Thursday he would not seek re-election. The decision came after Gonzales admitted to an affair with a former staffer, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, who later died by suicide in September 2025. The admission triggered swift condemnation from Republican leadership, who urged him to withdraw from the race.
Gonzales, who was first elected to the House in 2020, had been facing Brandon Herrera in a primary runoff. Herrera will now face Democrat Katy Padilla Stout in the general election. Gonzales's departure turns the race into an open-seat battle, eliminating the advantage of Republican incumbency.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, along with Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, and House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, publicly called on Gonzales to drop his re-election bid. They also urged the House Ethics Committee to expedite its investigation into the matter. National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson echoed this sentiment, saying Gonzales should withdraw from the runoff.
Gonzales initially denied the affair but admitted to a "lapse in judgment" on Wednesday during a radio show appearance. He stated he had reconciled with his wife and sought forgiveness from God. Text messages viewed by CBS News showed Santos-Aviles telling Gonzales "this is going too far boss" after he asked for a "sexy pic" in 2024.
With Gonzales stepping aside, the race for Texas's 23rd congressional district is now an open contest between Herrera and Stout.
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