Aide Told Co-Worker She Had Affair with Texas Congressman Before Suicide

A co-worker who no longer works for Representative Tony Gonzales shared screenshots of a text exchange in which an aide wrote last April that she had an affair with the congressman. The aide, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, sent the message on April 27, writing, “I had affair with our boss and I’m fine.” Five months later she died by suicide after setting herself on fire in the backyard of her home.

Mr. Gonzales declined to address the allegation and accused his Republican primary challenger, Brandon Herrera, of being behind the release of the messages. Mr. Gonzales, who has the president’s endorsement, is locked in a difficult primary battle; Mr. Herrera urged him to resign and warned Democrats could use the episode to try to flip the seat.

The San Antonio Express-News rescinded its endorsement of Mr. Gonzales after the reporting. An attorney for Ms. Santos-Aviles’s husband said she confessed to her husband in June 2024 that she had an affair with Mr. Gonzales and that Mr.

United States, San Antonio, Texas

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