U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales is alleging “blackmail” from the husband of a former staffer who reportedly took her own life by self-immolation.

Gonzales, a Republican representing Congressional District 23 in South Texas, had been the subject of rumors about an alleged relationship with staffer Regina Ann Santos-Aviles. As The Dallas Express reported, Santos-Aviles died in September 2025 after being found on fire outside her home in Uvalde.

New text messages show Santos-Aviles admitting the affair, as reported by The Dallas Express.

Following the public release of the text messages, Gonzales claimed that the staffer’s husband tried to blackmail him. He called on the Uvalde Police Department to release the report on Santos-Aviles’ death.

Scandal Intensifies

“I WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED,” Gonzales posted. 

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Aviles responded on X, denying the blackmail claims:

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 convenient to save face. We chose to hold back the full police report and body cam footage for one reason only it shows my wife suffering severe burns in horrific detail. I will not allow that graphic material to become accessible to our 8 year old son in the future when he is old enough to search for or come across it. Nothing in that police report protects you, that decision is about protecting our child’s well-being, not concealing anything improper. Your actions have been disgraceful, and you continue to mislead your constituents with falsehoods. You may avoid responsibility here on earth, but one day you will answer to a higher authority. Today, though, you still answer to the people you represent—people who deserve the truth, not more deception.

“I Had an Affair with Our Boss”: Bombshell Text

“I had an affair with our boss,” reads a text from Santos-Aviles, first reported by the San Antonio Express-News on February 17.

A former staffer in Gonzales’ office told the outlet Santos-Aviles admitted the affair in 2024, then fell into depression after the legislator cut her off and her husband learned of the relationship, as The Dallas Express reported. 

A lawyer for the aide’s husband said the relationship was an “open secret” in the office.

Gonzales and Santos-Aviles were both married at the time of the reported affair. The legislator has a wife and six children and publicly identifies himself as a Christian. 

Santos-Aviles died in September 2025, after being found on fire outside her home in Uvalde, as The Dallas Express reported. Investigators ruled the death a suicide.

Since then, rumors had been circling for months about an affair between Gonzales and Santos-Aviles. Current Revolt first reported on the allegations, sparking coverage from other outlets. In an interview at The Texas Tribune Festival in November, Gonzales apparently denied the affair.

“People throwing rocks at me, saying I’m doing nasty things — I totally get that,” he said at the time. “But the rumors are completely untruthful.”

After news of the text message from Santos-Aviles, Gonzales told The New York Post he blamed the controversy on his Republican primary opponent, Brandon Herrera.

“It’s shameful that Brandon Herrera is using a disgruntled former staffer to smear her memory and score political points, conveniently pushing this out the very day early voting started,” he said at the time. 

Calls to Resign Mount

Gonzales’ recent post claiming blackmail sparked backlash, with readers adding a “Community Note” about the affair. Political pundits across Texas – including his primary opponent – also chimed in.

“You are guilty and should resign,” Herrera wrote.

Conservative talk show host Kenny Webster echoed the point, saying Gonzales should “save the last remaining ounce of dignity you barely have left.” Texas Gun Rights, a grassroots 2nd Amendment nonprofit, also called for him to step down.

Michael Quinn Sullivan, publisher of Texas Scorecard, denounced the legislator for the recent blackmail claims: 

You put yourself in this situation, Tony. An upright man is not susceptible to blackmail. You should resign from the U.S. House immediately and slink away in shame.

Rep. Tony Gonzales’ current term in the U.S. House of Representatives (Texas’ 23rd Congressional District) ends on January 3, 2027. He is running for reelection in 2026 as the incumbent Republican candidate seeking a fourth term. The Republican primary is on March 3, 2026 (with early voting already underway as of mid-February 2026). He faces challengers in the GOP primary, including Brandon Herrera (who pushed him to a runoff in 2024), Francisco “Quico” Canseco, and Keith Barton.