Embattled Texas congressman Tony Gonzales has announced he will retire from Congress after the House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into his affair with a former staffer.
“There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office,” the Texas Republican said on X Monday evening.
“It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.”
His announcement comes less than an hour after California Democrat Eric Swalwell also announced his resignation from Congress following allegations that he sexually assaulted a former staffer and made other unwanted sexual advances toward women.
Gonzales, 45, finally admitted in March after months of allegations that he had had an inappropriate relationship with Regina Santos-Aviles, who at the time was a married woman who worked in his Uvalde office.
Santos-Aviles died by suicide at her home in September 2025, although Gonzales has said he had “absolutely nothing to do” with the former staffer’s death.
Gonzales previously said he would not stand for reelection this year, while stopping short of resigning from Congress.
But his position looked increasingly untenable as Republicans as well as Democrats called for his removal, with an expulsion vote scheduled for Tuesday.
Last week, another former aide came forward to accuse him of bombarding her with "hundreds" of sexually explicit text messages, characterizing his behavior as "sexual bullying". At the time, neither Gonzales nor his office responded to questions from the newspaper about the ex-staffer’s claims. The Independent also contacted the congressman’s representatives for comment.
In an interview last month with conservative talk show host Joe Pagliarulo, Gonzales admitted he "made a mistake" and suffered "a lapse in judgment" while denying any responsibility for Santos-Aviles' suicide.
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Swalwell, meanwhile, has fiercely denied the allegations against him, saying it was wrong to expel him from Congress "without due process." Nevertheless, he said he would resign so as not to be "distracted" from his duties.
"Reps. Gonzales and Swalwell are not fit to serve. They must resign. If they do not, I will vote to expel them," Teresa Leger Fernández, a New Mexico representative who leads the Democratic Women's Caucus, said before the announcements from both men that they plan to step down.
Republicans too had criticized Gonzales, with majority whip Tom Emmer asking him to withdraw from the running while fellow Texas representative Monica De La Cruz called his actions "unacceptable."
The Independent has reached out to Gonzales’ office for comment.
Gonzales did not indicate exactly when he would officially step down from Congress. It is not immediately clear if Texas Governor Greg Abbott would call a special election to fill his seat before the November election.
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