Rep. Tony Gonzales drops out of House runoff race after admitting affair with aide
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales announced he will not seek reelection for his Texas congressional district following revelations of an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.
- Gonzales had been set to face hard-right gun activist Brandon Herrera in a GOP primary runoff, but Herrera will now compete against Democrat Katy Padilla Stout in November.
- The 23rd Congressional District, which includes parts of the U.S.-Mexico border and West Texas, is a Republican-leaning area.
- Despite initial denials and resistance to resign, Gonzales stepped down after the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation and Republican leadership, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, urged him to withdraw.
- The staffer involved, Regina Santos-Av
