House Gonzales drops reelection bid after pressure over affair by Emily Brooks - 03/05/26 11:49 PM ET by Emily Brooks - 03/05/26 11:49 PM ET Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email NOW PLAYING Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) dropped his reelection bid on Thursday after coming under pressure from Republican leaders and other GOP colleagues to do so after admitting to an affair with his staffer who later died by suicide. He indicated he would stay in office through the end of his term. “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 in my district,” Gonzales said in the  late Thursday statement . “Through the rest of my term, I will continue fighting for my constituents, for whom I am eternally grateful.” Gonzales did not mention the affair in a statement announcing his withdrawal from the race. The decision means that Gonzales’s challenger Brandon Herrera, a YouTuber and firearms manufacturer endorsed by the political arm of the House Freedom Caucus, will be the Republican nominee for Texas’s 23rd Congressional district. After a Tuesday primary, Gonzales was set to face Herrera in a runoff in May. The Cook Political Report rates the district as Solidly Republican.  Earlier on Thursday, the top four House GOP leaders, led by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), called on Gonzales to  withdraw from his reelection  race. Gonzales  admitted in an interview  with conservative talk show host Joe Pags that the affair occurred, saying that he “made a mistake” and had a “lapse in judgement.” But in that interview, he resisted calls to resign or end his campaign for reelection. The House Ethics Committee  officially opened an investigation  into Gonzales on Wednesday to examine allegations that he violated the House’s code of conduct, which prohibits members from having sexual relationships with staff. It opened the investigation the day after Gonzales’s primary in Texas. The committee did not open an investigation earlier due to the panel’s rules about taking actions against members within 60 days before an election. Gonzales went over the highlights of his congressional career in the statement. “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,” he said. “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.” Add as preferred source on Google Tags Mike Johnson Tony Gonzales Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email More House News See All Campaign Texas lieutenant gov rips Hunt for entering Senate race: ‘He had no business’ by Max Rego 10 hours ago Campaign  /  10 hours ago