NEED TO KNOW

• Gonzales announced Monday night he will file his "retirement" from Congress Tuesday
• He admitted to an affair with Regional Director Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by self-immolation; a second staffer alleged he sent her sexually explicit messages
• His announcement came hours after Democrat Eric Swalwell resigned — both exits driven by the same bipartisan expulsion pressure

RANDALLSTOWN, Md. (TDR) — Rep. Tony Gonzales announced Monday night he will retire from Congress Tuesday — closing out the same day Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned, making this the first day in modern memory when members of both parties left simultaneously over sexual misconduct.

The big picture: Gonzales had already withdrawn from his Texas primary runoff in March after admitting to an affair with Regional District Director Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by self-immolation in 2025. Family members say the affair contributed to her death. He had said at the time he intended to serve out his term.

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• A second staffer came forward in April with text messages showing Gonzales asked for nude photos and made explicit sexual requests
• The House Ethics Committee had opened a formal investigation; Rep. Anna Paulina Luna was preparing to force an expulsion vote this week

Why it matters: The simultaneous exits mark an unusual bipartisan accountability moment driven not by party pressure alone but by the credible threat of expulsion from both chambers.

• Under House ethics rules, members may not engage in sexual relationships with employees under their supervision — both Gonzales and Swalwell admitted to conduct that implicates those rules
• The exits shrink an already narrow House majority, raising the stakes of near-term legislative votes until special elections are held

Driving the news: Gonzales posted to X Monday night.

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• "There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas."
• He did not address the misconduct allegations in the announcement

What they're saying: The response in Congress reflected the cross-partisan pressure.

• Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., said both Gonzales and Swalwell "need to go home" and would vote yes on expulsion of both
• Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., called it "not a partisan issue" that "cuts across party lines"

Yes, but: Gonzales framed his exit as a "retirement" — language with different legal and pension implications that avoids naming misconduct as the cause.

• He had previously resisted calls to resign, saying there would "be an opportunity for all the details" to emerge — Monday's announcement offered none
• His term runs through January 2027; "retirement" before that date still shortens his tenure without the word "resignation"

Between the lines: The Swalwell and Gonzales exits weren't coordinated, but their timing is not incidental. Luna's push for a joint expulsion vote created a structural incentive for both men to leave before a floor vote.

• An expulsion vote requires a two-thirds majority — historically rare — but the bipartisan coalition made the outcome less certain than usual
• Santos-Aviles's death by self-immolation has received less coverage than the political fallout — her family has spoken publicly about the affair's role, a dimension this story has underweighted

What's next:

• Gonzales files retirement paperwork Tuesday; effective date not confirmed
• Special elections for both seats will follow, with implications for the House majority
• House Ethics Committee investigation into Gonzales remains open after his departure

When two members of Congress from opposite parties exit on the same day over the same ethics rules, is that accountability — or proof that accountability only arrives when expulsion becomes unavoidable?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from the Associated Press, Axios, Texas Tribune, KATV/San Antonio, and Bloomberg.

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