Amid Scandal, Rep. Tony Gonzales and Brandon Herrera Head to Run-off Election

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales has managed to avoid defeat at the hands of challenger Brandon Herrera in the  Texas Republican Primary for Texas' 23rd Congressional District, and will head to the May 26 run-off election.

Rep. Gonzalez earned 41.7 percent, while Herrera was able to edge him out with 43.4 percent of the final vote count.

The results for many were shocking as Gonzales faces renewed scrutiny following the publication of text messages that allegedly show him pursuing a sexual relationship with a staff member in 2024. The messages reportedly include requests for a "sexy pic" and inquiries about her "favorite position," despite indications she expressed discomfort and told him the exchange was "going too far."

The staff member, identified as Regina Santos-Aviles, died in September 2025 by suicide. Gonzales had previously denied rumors of an affair, calling them "completely untruthful," but since then has changed his response, accusing her husband of attempting blackmail and alleging that Herrera's campaign was politicizing the matter.

The controversy has drawn attention from several Republican members of Congress, including Lauren Boebert, Anna Paulina Luna, and Nancy Mace, some of whom have publicly called for Gonzales's resignation.

Herrera, however, is a gun rights activist widely known online as "The AK Guy," who has framed the race as a referendum on Gonzales' reliability as a conservative and his recent personal controversies. Rep. Luna endorsed Herrera after the information about Gonzales resurfaced.