Rep. Tony Gonzales said he plans to resign from the House Tuesday, weeks after the Texas Republican admitted to having an affair with a staff member.
“There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all,” he said in a statement on X. “When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.”
He did not specify if he intended to leave his seat Tuesday or at a future date.
The Texas Republican, who previously announced he would not seek reelection due to the allegations, said he would resign outright just over an hour after Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California announced he would leave his seat amid his own allegations of sexual misconduct with staff.
Gonzales is facing an Ethics Committee investigation into the alleged violations, which will be closed upon his resignation. He admitted last month to having an affair with staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, who later died by suicide.
Republican leaders previously called on Gonzales to suspend his campaign, which was headed toward a runoff against conservative influencer Brandon Herrera. But in what was widely viewed as recognition of the GOP’s tiny House margin, they had not called on him to resign while they awaited the Ethics investigation to play out.
Had he not announced his resignation, Gonzales would have faced an bipartisan expulsion effort later this week.
