New reporting details explicit text messages sent by U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales to a campaign staffer years before his acknowledged relationship with aide Regina Santos-Aviles.
According to the San Antonio Express-News, messages from 2020 show Gonzales repeatedly asking his campaign’s political director for nude photos and attempting to initiate a sexual relationship.
The report states Gonzales asked the staffer what she wore to bed, requested explicit photos multiple times over several days, and described sexual acts he wanted to engage in. The staffer declined those requests.
In one exchange cited by the report, Gonzales persisted after being turned down, writing, “I know what I want and won’t stop until I get it.”
The Express-News reports it verified the messages were sent from Gonzales’ phone number and confirmed the woman worked on his 2020 campaign. The staffer told the outlet the messages made her uncomfortable but not enough to leave the campaign at the time.
The newly reported messages predate Gonzales’ acknowledged relationship with Santos-Aviles in 2024, who served as his regional district director in Uvalde and committed suicide last year.
Gonzales initially denied having a relationship with Santos-Aviles but later acknowledged it, calling it a “mistake” in a radio interview.
The fallout from that revelation escalated quickly.
The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into Gonzales’ conduct, and House Republican leadership publicly called on him to withdraw from his reelection bid.
Gonzales subsequently announced he would not seek reelection, ending his campaign just days after advancing to a runoff election against Brandon Herrera.
Gonzales did not respond to questions from the newspaper regarding the newly reported messages. Texas Scorecard has also reached out for comment.
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