Rep. Tony Gonzales, decried as a RINO anyway, is in trouble. He is in a four-way race that includes a re-match with YouTube influencer Brandon Herrera (incumbant Gonzales barely defeated him in 2024). Herrera is tied or slightly ahead of Gonzales in December 2025 polling.

San Antonio Express-News reported a bombshell story that he had an affair with a staffer and that staffer later killed herself by setting herself on fire shortly after staffer's husband found out about affair.

Consensus on X is that Gonzales was caught. He cheated on his wife and should resign .

Congressman #TonyGonzales #CD23
Avoids talking to the media about his staffer #ReginaAviles. Why? pic.twitter.com/E1VjWrF2aZ

— Liz 🇺🇸 (@ThisIsLizMK) February 18, 2026

Gonzales maintains innocence somewhat ("I will not respond to political hit" to KSAT) and late last year outright denied the affair at TribFest.

Thursday, Gonzales claimed he was blackmailed. Basically, the attorney repping his alleged affair partner's widower who claims to have 3,500 texts between Gonzales and his deceased wife, was attempting to negotiate an NDA to withhold the affair texts for a payment from Gonzales of $300,000.

Gonzales claiming blackmail and widower's response:

Adrian Aviles here Regina’s husband.

We have never blackmailed anyone. What we’ve seen instead is a consistent pattern of evasion, refusal to take accountability, and outright lies to protect your image. You’re a classic case of a two-faced politician who says whatever is…

— Adrian Aviles (@Adrianaviles830) February 19, 2026

According to Trib:

Quote:

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In an interview Thursday night, Barrera said the first half of the email not included in Gonzales' social media post described text messages between the former aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, and the congressman. At a "minimum," Barrera said the messages would support a sexual harassment claim should the parties end up in court. (source)

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CD-23 is a +15% Trump district. Should Brandon Herrera win, he will likely face a weaker D challenger based upon fundraising numbers - Herrera has around $700k and the top D challenger has $200k.

Regardless of the affair allegations against Gonzales, Herrera was polling ahead of Gonzales in a Dec 22, 2025 poll 33% to Gonzales' 29%. (source)

Gonzales is endorsed by Trump on down. However, the Express-News pulled their endorsement following the EN's story breaking information about the purported affair.

Gonzales continues to campaign rigorously while generally ignoring the dumpster fire he's standing in.

LOL on this tweet:

If I have to see another congressman’s junk to get @TheAKGuy elected, so be it. https://t.co/5Qxw95lXhD

— Angry Cops (@AngryCops) February 20, 2026

Side note: Matt Mackoviak is said to be advising Gonzales on how to respond to the affair allegations by several X accounts.

Blackmail is pretty sleazy but I hope Hererra wins.

DRT? Daughters of the Republic of Texas?

Seems most politicians are sleazeballs.

backintexas2013 said:

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I guess asking if the staffer was hot is inappropriate

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Pictures with the news story shows a very attractive woman. Horrible way to take one's own life with fire. I'm not able to make sense of that.

Apparently being in office is a hell of a drug IF all of this is true. TG shouldn't be running at a minimum and should have resigned after the death IMO. How do you just keep on smiling and shaking hands with that on your brain?

I haven't followed the Herrera guy but he seems kinda loose cannon-ish, but what the hell we need our crazy people too Lord knows the run deep in the Dem party. MTG is out maybe this guy is in but the bottom line of course, is who has the majority.

Jack Squat 83 said:

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backintexas2013 said:

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I guess asking if the staffer was hot is inappropriate

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Pictures with the news story shows a very attractive woman. Horrible way to take one's own life with fire. I'm not able to make sense of that.

Apparently being in office is a hell of a drug IF all of this is true. TG shouldn't be running at a minimum and should have resigned after the death IMO. How do you just keep on smiling and shaking hands with that on your brain?

I haven't followed the Herrera guy but he seems kinda loose cannon-ish, but what the hell we need our crazy people too Lord knows the run deep in the Dem party. MTG is out maybe this guy is in but the bottom line of course, is who has the majority.

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Yikes, the Congressman and the husband seem to have dodged a bullet IMO.

Nice trying to distance him as a Rino. Lol. That makes it better than party association

ts5641 said:

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Seems most politicians are sleazeballs.

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Ding ding

I don't look to politicians for moral values. They are either conservative, and vote like it, or they aren't. The affair is crappy, but that's not why I'm voting against Tony in the primary. I like Trump, but his endorsement doesn't mean anything to me. He's endorsed some real backstabbers before.

I've also noticed that this primary race is much quieter than the last few. I wonder if Gonzalez and Herrera aren't spending as much money this time around.

backintexas2013 said:

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I guess asking if the staffer was hot is inappropriate

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Also holy **** this is Rivalries-level snark

Quote:

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San Antonio Express-News reported a bombshell story that he had an affair with a staffer and that staffer later killed herself by setting herself on fire shortly after staffer's husband found out about affair.

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Good lawd!

I live in the district, get mailers from both of them everyday. My mailbox will be glad when its over.
Lets go Brandon.

HumbleAg04 said:

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Wild you starting this post while stumping hard for Tony last election. Bragging about how you interviewed him and writing questionable articles about how Herrera was a carpetbagger for some circular reporting social media blitz to support Gonzales.

I guess we pretend that didn't happen and that your "news" service isn't biased for your personal beliefs?

Tony sucks. Let's Go Brandon!

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The OP is probably happy because it gives a better chance for the Democrat to win

Kick his ass out of Congress.

It always confuses me when people inclined to have secret affairs pursue a career path where there are teams of people tasked with bringing out your dirty laundry.

Just pursue executive positions in the private sector while avoiding Coldplay concerts.

backintexas2013 said:

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I guess asking if the staffer was hot is inappropriate

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nm

So as far as I can tell

• The estranged husband Adrian Aviles blamed Gonzales for contributing to the collapse of their marriage and accused the congressman of abusing his position of power.
• Gonzales denied wrongdoing and asked for the police records
• The police records show that when she self-immolated she told officers she had set herself on fire after discovering her estranged husband was romantically involved with her best friend.

Of course, Gonzelez may be lying, and he did have an affair with the staffer. Or nothing may have happened with her, and the husband is blackmailing him. Or, he did have the affair, but it was the husband and best friend who drove her over the top. To me, the last seems more likely since that's what she told the officers while she was dying.

Jack Squat 83 said:

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backintexas2013 said:

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I guess asking if the staffer was hot is inappropriate

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Pictures with the news story shows a very attractive woman. Horrible way to take one's own life with fire. I'm not able to make sense of that.

Apparently being in office is a hell of a drug IF all of this is true. TG shouldn't be running at a minimum and should have resigned after the death IMO. How do you just keep on smiling and shaking hands with that on your brain?

I haven't followed the Herrera guy but he seems kinda loose cannon-ish, but what the hell we need our crazy people too Lord knows the run deep in the Dem party. MTG is out maybe this guy is in but the bottom line of course, is who has the majority.

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Brandon is actually pretty principled when it comes to the Constitution. Tony is a Democrat that stuck an (R) behind his name and should be booted based on his voting record alone. The affair is just fuel to the fire.

CampSkunk said:

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So as far as I can tell

• The estranged husband Adrian Aviles blamed Gonzales for contributing to the collapse of their marriage and accused the congressman of abusing his position of power.
• Gonzales denied wrongdoing and asked for the police records
• The police records show that when she self-immolated she told officers she had set herself on fire after discovering her estranged husband was romantically involved with her best friend.

Of course, Gonzelez may be lying, and he did have an affair with the staffer. Or nothing may have happened with her, and the husband is blackmailing him. Or, he did have the affair, but it was the husband and best friend who drove her over the top. To me, the last seems more likely since that's what she told the officers while she was dying.

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I've been following this pretty closely from the beginning - bullet 3 is interesting. Where did you get this? Or just a hunch? Okay, if it is - actually sounds plausible. I just haven't seen that anywhere else....nevermind...just checked the news. Came out yesterday. Wow.

Politicians having affairs??? I'm shocked... shocked I say!!!

I guess that proves that everyone woman wants and loves to be called "hot".

backintexas2013 said:

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I guess asking if the staffer was hot is inappropriate

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Dammit!

Beat me to it.

He met her on Match.com

I've peripherally heard about this, but haven't done a lot of reading about it. How messed up do you have to be to actually set yourself on fire? That is extremely painful. I mean, I'm sorry for the woman but holy *****

On fire?????

annie88 said:

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I've peripherally heard about this, but haven't done a lot of reading about it. How messed up do you have to be to actually set yourself on fire? That is extremely painful. I mean, I'm sorry for the woman but holy *****

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Allegedly, set herself on fire. Uvalde still has the case files sealed unless I am mistaken.

Quote:

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The affair is just fuel to the fire.

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It was a San Antonio Express article behind a paywall. Also touched a bit on her history of mental illness. Very sad, and or course regardless of whether she had an affair with the politician, her husband and best friend put her over the edge.

Get rid of the people with lots of baggage in the primary, they are all basically going to vote the same when they get elected.