A married Republican congressman faces explosive allegations of an affair with a senior aide who later died by suicide, with text messages revealing the relationship just months before her tragic death.
Story Highlights
- Text messages show Regina Santos-Aviles admitted to an affair with U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales months before her September 2025 suicide
- The San Antonio Express-News withdrew its endorsement of Gonzales, citing a “disturbing lack of character” in handling the situation
- GOP primary challenger Brandon Herrera is calling for Gonzales to step down as the March 3, 2026 primary approaches
- Gonzales denies the affair allegations and claims the story is a political smear by opponents ahead of the tight primary race
Text Messages Reveal Alleged Affair
Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, a 35-year-old senior aide serving as regional director in U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales’ Uvalde office, sent text messages to a colleague on April 28, 2025, stating “I had affair with our boss and I’m fine. You will be fine.” The messages, obtained and verified by the San Antonio Express-News, surfaced during Gonzales’ heated 2026 primary campaign. Santos-Aviles died by suicide in September 2025 at her Uvalde home, with the Bexar County Medical Examiner officially ruling her death a suicide in November 2025.
Professional Isolation Following Affair Exposure
Former staffers report that Santos-Aviles faced professional isolation after the affair became known among congressional office personnel in May 2024. She was allegedly frozen out of work activities, including visits to Uvalde and canceled meetings with Gonzales. According to accounts from colleagues, Santos-Aviles began taking antidepressants during summer 2025 as her mental health deteriorated. Her husband Adrian Aviles discovered the text messages, and his attorney Bobby Barrera confirmed the affair was “common knowledge” among staff, though he maintains it was unrelated to her suicide.
Gonzales Denies Allegations Amid Primary Challenge
Rep. Tony Gonzales, a 45-year-old married father of six representing Texas’ 23rd District, has repeatedly denied the affair allegations. At the November 2024 Texas Tribune Festival, Gonzales dismissed similar rumors as “completely untruthful.” Following the February 2026 Express-News report, Gonzales released a statement refusing to “engage in personal smears” and focused instead on advancing President Trump’s agenda. His office attempted to discredit the former staffer who shared the texts by claiming the individual now works for Democratic campaigns, an assertion the staffer denies.
Primary Race Intensifies With Resignation Calls
The revelations arrive at a critical moment for Gonzales, who narrowly won his 2024 primary against gun rights activist Brandon Herrera by just 400 votes. Herrera has seized on the allegations, publicly stating “Tony must step down” in February 2026. State Representative Wes Virdell joined the chorus, conditionally calling for Gonzales’ resignation if the allegations prove true. Despite the controversy, President Trump endorsed Gonzales in December 2025. The San Antonio Express-News withdrew its endorsement in February 2026, citing the congressman’s “disturbing lack of character” regarding the power imbalance inherent in a boss-subordinate relationship.
Power Dynamics and Congressional Ethics Concerns
The case highlights troubling power dynamics between congressional members and their staff. Santos-Aviles worked on sensitive community issues in Uvalde following the tragic 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, making her professional ostracization particularly damaging. The Express-News editorial board emphasized that any relationship between a congressman and subordinate staffer cannot be equal, regardless of circumstances. Former colleagues who raised mental health concerns about Santos-Aviles to District Director Jalen Falcon in June 2025 describe a pattern of professional retaliation that created an untenable workplace situation, raising questions about accountability and ethics standards in congressional offices.
Months before death by suicide, aide texted she had an affair with congressman – CBS News https://t.co/5FhBvbXzbd
— Susan Henderson (@SusanHe02044156) February 19, 2026
Early voting for the March 3, 2026 Republican primary is currently underway. Uvalde Police and Texas Rangers concluded their investigation with no evidence of foul play in Santos-Aviles’ death. The controversy continues to dominate headlines in Texas’ 23rd District, a safe Republican seat stretching from San Antonio to the Texas-Mexico border that Gonzales won by 24 points in the 2024 general election.
Sources:
Report alleges West Texas congressman had affair – Audacy
Months before death by suicide, aide texted she had an affair with congressman – CBS News
Texts show aide admitted to affair with lawmaker prior to death by suicide – iHeartRadio
Tony Gonzales faces affair allegations as primary challenger calls for resignation – Texas Tribune
How MAGA Congressman Tried to Run From Bombshell Affair Rumor – The Daily Beast
