Mike Johnson Demands Tony Gonzales Exit 2026 Race Over Staffer Affair
House Republican leaders are now urging Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales to abandon his reelection campaign after he admitted to an affair with a staffer whose later death sparked a federal ethics investigation.
According to The Texas Tribune and CBS News, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other top GOP leaders asked Gonzales on Thursday to withdraw from the race while the investigation moves forward. The request came just one day after Gonzales publicly acknowledged the relationship with a former aide who later died by suicide.
The U.S. House Ethics Committee has opened an inquiry into whether the relationship violated House rules that prohibit romantic relationships between members of Congress and their staff.
Download a FREE Pocket Constitution NOW
Gonzales admitted the affair in a radio interview, calling it a “lapse in judgment” and saying he has since reconciled with his wife.
Despite mounting pressure, Gonzales has not agreed to step aside. He is currently headed into a May 26 Republican runoff election against gun activist Brandon Herrera for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.
The scandal has quickly become one of the most consequential political controversies of the 2026 election cycle in Texas.
Follow The Coffman Chronicle on NewsBreak for daily breaking political coverage.