Tony Gonzales drops out of race for House reelection in Texas

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Tony Gonzales (Getty Images)

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican from a congressional district rooted in San Antonio, has dropped out of a runoff race for his reelection after a scandal over an affair gained national attention. 

Once he's officially dropped out, YouTube personality Brandon Herrera will take the GOP nomination by default. 

Tony Gonzales drops out

Gonzales released a statement Thursday night:

What they're saying:

"At 18, I swore an oath to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. During my 20 years in the military and three terms in Congress, I have fought for that cause with absolute dedication to the country that I love. From overcoming the border crisis to taking a stand with my communities after the worst school shooting in Texas’ history, my philosophy has never changed: do as much as you can, and always fight for the greater good.  After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election while serving out the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I’ve always had to my district. Through the rest of my term, I will continue fighting for my constituents, for whom I am eternally grateful. God has a plan for all of us."

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GOP House leaders ask Gonzales to drop reelection bid after affair confession

Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives, including Speaker Mike Johnson, have asked Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) to drop out of his race for reelection. 

Brandon Herrera to take nomination

What's next:

Herrera, a gun manufacturer with a large amount of YouTube fame, will be the de facto nominee in the November general election. 

While "The AK Guy" may be handed an easy nomination this time around, he would still face a Democratic challenger in November. By the Associated Press' numbers, Democrats outshone Republicans in the district's polls by around 4,000 voters on Tuesday. 

(Getty Images)

Gonzales originally won the San Antonio-anchored district when the Hispanic population swung red a few cycles back. Katy Padilla Stout, the Democratic nominee for D-23, garnered about 7,000 more votes than Herrera on Tuesday.

The backstory:

Gonzales had already held onto his large district in 2024, when he scraped out a runoff win against Herrera by a few hundred votes. 

Tony Gonzales admits to affair

Dig deeper:

Wednesday, Gonzales appeared on the "Joe Pags Show" podcast, where he was asked whether he had a relationship with his former aide, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles. She had served as his primary staffer in the Uvalde area, where previous reports from the San Antonio Express-News said she took her own life by setting herself on fire in her backyard in September 2025. The rumored affair was given more credence when texts were revealed to the outlet by another alleged former staffer, and later Santos-Aviles' late husband. 

Gonzales, who had been dodging that question since Santos-Aviles' death and using words like "blackmail" over social media uproar about the scandal, finally gave an answer. 

"I made a mistake and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions," Gonzales said.

House GOP leaders on Thursday called for Gonzales to exit the race.