Overview
- House Ethics Committee leaders formed an investigative subcommittee to examine whether Gonzales violated rules barring sexual relationships with staff or dispensed special favors.
- One day after acknowledging an extramarital affair in a radio interview and calling it a lapse in judgment, Gonzales announced he would not seek another term.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP leaders publicly urged him to exit the race, though they stopped short of calling for his resignation from Congress.
- Local reporting and materials released by the aide’s widower included texts in which Gonzales asked for a “sexy pic” and messages in which the aide wrote that she had an affair with her boss; pay records also showed her compensation rose in 2024.
- Gonzales’ withdrawal clears the way for Brandon Herrera to become the likely Republican nominee in Texas’ 23rd District, while the ethics investigation continues and could take months.