Embattled MAGA Rep finally confirms affair with staffer who died in gruesome suicide

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) finally admitted to a long-reported extramarital affair with a congressional staffer who died by suicide last year, during an interview on Wednesday on the right-wing Joe Pags Show.

However, he blasted the way the media has covered the story, saying he has been reputationally harmed by “certain outlets only sharing certain information that is beneficial to them,” and that for these outlets, it is just “about power and money.”

Gonzales, who narrowly advanced to a runoff against far-right primary challenger Brandon Herrera and is fighting for his political life, was romantically involved with Regina Santos-Aviles, a married staffer who ran his office in Uvalde. Santos-Aviles died in a gruesome suicide last year, and text messages during their involvement appeared to suggest she was uncomfortable with some of what Gonzales was asking her to do. Both the Office of Congressional Conduct and the House Ethics Committee are investigating.

In the interview, Gonzales also denied having anything to do with Santos-Aviles' death, claiming he hadn't spoken to her since 2024.

But some commenters on social media didn't buy that explanation.

"This would mean that Santos-Aviles worked for Gonzales for over a year before her death without the two of them ever speaking," wrote political reporter Ben Jacobs.

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