众议员托尼·冈萨雷斯在5月面临决选
作者：伊丽莎白·埃尔金德
福克斯新闻
2026年3月5日 美国东部时间下午12:58发布
众议院共和党领袖已要求处境艰难的得克萨斯州共和党众议员托尼·冈萨雷斯放弃连任竞选。
路易斯安那州共和党众议长迈克·约翰逊及其他高级共和党人在声明中表示：”伦理委员会已宣布对众议员托尼·冈萨雷斯的行为展开调查，我们敦促他们迅速采取行动。冈萨雷斯议员已表示他将全力配合调查。”
“我们鼓励他直接向其选民和同事澄清这些非常严重的指控。在此期间，领导层已要求冈萨雷斯议员退出连任竞选。”
冈萨雷斯的连任竞选自数周前出现他与已故助手有染并向其发送露骨短信的指控以来，一直备受丑闻困扰。
2025年3月25日星期二，得克萨斯州共和党众议员托尼·冈萨雷斯抵达美国国会大厦参加新闻发布会。（比尔·克拉克/CQ滚动新闻社，通过盖蒂图片社提供）
同一位助手雷吉娜·桑托斯-阿维莱斯去年年底在其住所外自焚身亡。
众议院共和党竞选机构领袖、北卡罗来纳州共和党众议员理查德·哈德逊告诉福克斯新闻数字版：”我同意议长和其他领导层的意见，托尼应该退出决选，让伦理调查程序继续推进，同时专注于照顾家人和在其剩余任期内服务选民。”
冈萨雷斯在周三晚间的保守派”乔·帕格秀”节目中暗示此事确实发生过，但未表明他会退出竞选。
“我犯了错误，判断出现了偏差，缺乏信仰，我对这些行为负全部责任。从那以后，我与妻子安吉儿重归于好。我请求上帝原谅我，他已经原谅了我，我的信仰一如既往坚定。”这位得克萨斯州共和党人说道。
他此前曾反驳任何不当行为指控，并指责桑托斯-阿维莱斯的丈夫进行敲诈勒索。
2026年2月24日星期二，众议院议长、路易斯安那州共和党人迈克·约翰逊在华盛顿国会大厦的新闻发布会上赞扬唐纳德·特朗普总统的政策和议程，为其国情咨文演讲预热。（J.斯科特·阿普怀特/美联社照片）
“在我六年（国会议员生涯中），我的办公室从未收到过任何正式投诉。如今竞选临近，有组织的政治攻击横行。这不会奏效。提前投票进行到一半，大多数选民的热情仍在我们这边。我们宁愿成为他们而不是他们的对立面。”他在2月底发推文称。
众议院伦理委员会在冈萨雷斯晋级连任竞选决选的前一天，即周三对其展开了调查。
冈萨雷斯的对手是社交媒体影响者、枪支活动家布兰登·埃雷拉，后者曾在2024年挑战这位现任议员。在之前的选举周期中，埃雷拉以不到2%的差距输给了冈萨雷斯。
然而这一次，两人都未能在竞选中获得绝对多数票，如果冈萨雷斯不退出，他们将在5月底再次对决。
福克斯新闻数字版已联系冈萨雷斯的国会办公室寻求置评。
[国土安全部停摆触发TSA”紧急措施”，议员警告机场或面临经济阵痛]
2026年2月26日，共和党国会候选人布兰登·埃雷拉在得克萨斯州萨默塞特的康斯坦丁诺披萨店竞选集会上发言。（布兰登·贝尔/盖蒂图片社）
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与此同时，不断发酵的丑闻促使几位冈萨雷斯的共和党同僚呼吁他在任期结束前辞职。
“我会鼓励他考虑辞职。”佛罗里达州共和党众议员安娜·保利娜·卢娜上周告诉记者。
他的得克萨斯州同僚、共和党众议员布兰登·吉尔敦促冈萨雷斯不要寻求连任。”美国应该得到更好的代表。托尼应该退出竞选。”他在推特上发文称。
冈萨雷斯此前曾告诉记者，他无意辞职。
福克斯新闻数字版已联系冈萨雷斯的国会办公室和竞选团队寻求置评。
伊丽莎白·埃尔金德是福克斯新闻数字版的政治记者，主要报道众议院相关内容。此前曾在《每日邮报》和哥伦比亚广播公司新闻担任数字版专栏作家。
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Mike Johnson asks embattled House Republican Tony Gonzales to drop re-election bid
Rep. Tony Gonzales is facing a runoff election in May
By Elizabeth Elkind
Fox News
Published March 5, 2026 12:58pm EST
House GOP leaders have asked embattled Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, to drop his bid for re-election.
“The Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales’s conduct, and we urge them to act expeditiously. Congressman Gonzales has said he will fully cooperate with the investigation,” the statement by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and other top Republicans reads.
“We have encouraged him to address these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues. In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election.”
Gonzales’ re-election bid has been plagued by scandal for weeks ever since allegations emerged that he had an affair with his late aide and sent her sexually explicit text messages.
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, arrives for a press conference in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
The same aide, Regina Santos-Aviles, committed suicide by setting herself on fire outside her home late last year.
National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., leader of the House GOP campaign arm, told Fox News Digital, “I agree with the Speaker and the rest of leadership, Tony should withdraw from the runoff and allow the Ethics process to move forward while focusing on his family and serving his constituents for the remainder of his term.”
Gonzales suggested the affair did occur on the conservative “Joe Pags Show” on Wednesday evening but gave no indication he would drop out.
“I made a mistake and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions. Since then, I’ve reconciled with my wife Angel. I’ve asked God to forgive me, which he has, and my faith is as strong as ever,” the Texas Republican said.
He previously fought back against any accusation of impropriety and accused Santos-Aviles’ husband of extortion.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., praises President Donald Trump’s policies and agenda ahead of his State of the Union speech, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.(J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
“During my six years [in Congress, not a single formal complaint has been levied against my office. Now days away from an election, coordinated political attacks reign in. IT WON’T WORK. Halfway through early voting and the intensity resides w/ TG voters. I’d rather be us than them,” he posted on X in late February.
The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into Gonzales on Wednesday, one day after he advanced to a runoff in his re-election bid.
Gonzales is facing Brandon Herrera, a social media influencer and firearms activist who previously challenged the incumbent lawmaker in 2024. Herrera lost to Gonzales by less than 2% in the previous election cycle.
This time, however, neither clinched an outright majority in the race and will now face off again in late May, if Gonzales does not drop out.
Fox News Digital reached out to Gonzales’ congressional office for comment.
[DHS SHUTDOWN TRIGGERS TSA ‘EMERGENCY MEASURES’ AS LAWMAKER WARNS AIRPORTS COULD FEEL ECONOMIC PAIN]
Republican congressional candidate Brandon Herrera speaks during a campaign rally at the Constantino’s Pizza restaurant in Somerset, Texas, on Feb. 26, 2026.(Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
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Meanwhile, the growing scandal has prompted several of Gonzales’ fellow House Republicans to call for his resignation before the end of his term.
“I would encourage him to consider resigning,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., told reporters last week.
His fellow Texas lawmaker, Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, urged Gonzales not to run for re-election. “America deserves better. Tony should drop out of the race,” he posted on X.
Gonzales previously told reporters he had no intention of resigning.
Fox News Digital reached out to Gonzales’ congressional office and campaign for comment.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
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