Allegations against Rep. Tony Gonzales further divide House GOP ahead of midterms

March 4, 2026

Allegations that Texas GOP Representative Tony Gonzales sent sexually explicit messages to a former aide who later died by suicide have created divisions within the House Republican caucus. While some members, including Representative Anna Paulina Luna, have filed censure resolutions against him, party leadership has largely avoided taking decisive action, preferring to let voters decide his fate in an upcoming May runoff election. Representative Nancy Mace's resolution to release all congressional sexual misconduct investigations failed after bipartisan opposition citing concerns about victim protection and witness cooperation.

Who is affected

Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas
Regina Santos-Aviles (deceased former aide and Uvalde district director)
Adrian Aviles (Santos-Aviles' husband)
House Republicans and their slim voting majority
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida
Rep. Nancy Mace
House Speaker Mike Johnson
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries
Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest
Ranking member Mark DeSaulnier
Brandon Herrera (Gonzales' runoff opponent)
Victims and witnesses of congressional sexual misconduct investigations

What action is being taken

Anna Paulina Luna is filing motions to censure Gonzales and strip him of committee assignments
The House Ethics Committee has opened an inquiry into Gonzales
Gonzales is participating in a May 26 runoff election against Brandon Herrera
The Office of Congressional Conduct is investigating the matter
Leadership is allowing the ethics process to "play out"

Why it matters

This case highlights deep fractures within the Republican caucus as members increasingly break ranks to criticize each other publicly, even with midterm elections approaching. The situation tests how Congress handles sexual misconduct allegations against its own members while balancing concerns about victim protection, political calculations regarding razor-thin voting margins, and transparency demands. The broader debate about releasing all congressional sexual misconduct investigations reveals institutional tensions between accountability and protecting investigation processes, with implications for how Congress polices itself and responds to workplace misconduct allegations.

What's next

Gonzales will face Brandon Herrera in a runoff election on May 26
The House Ethics Committee investigation will continue
Nancy Mace's resolution has been referred to committee (where it will likely die)
Gonzales stated he looks forward to the investigation and explaining "the entire situation"

Read full article from source: The 19th