3 More Republicans — Including Massie — Demand GOP Rep. Gonzales ‘Resign Immediately’

(Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images)

Three more House Republicans have joined a widening group of colleagues calling for Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) to “resign immediately” over allegations he had an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide that surfaced just days before a critical Texas primary.

Gonzales denied any improper relationship with the staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, who died in September after setting herself on fire when the claims first surfaced late last year.

Alleged text messages, however, obtained by Juliegrace Brufke of 24sight News and published Monday, reportedly showed that the congressman “made explicit sexual requests to his late congressional staffer who repeatedly resisted.”

The messages have renewed scrutiny on the allegations and prompted calls for Gonzales to step down by three Republican congresswomen, Lauren Boebert (CO), Anna Paulina Luna (FL), and Nancy Mace (SC).

On Tuesday, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) joined the trio in publicly demanding Gonzales’ resignation, taking to X to ask why “other men in the GOP” had not called for the same and demanding President Donald Trump withdraw his endorsement, which he extended in December.

Separately, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) told NBC News reporter Brennan Leach that Gonzales should “do the right thing and resign.”

“Well, the legal process, of course, but I think he should, he should do the right thing and resign,” Burchett said when asked about accountability.

Speaker Mike Johnson, when pressed on the allegations, remarked that they were “very serious,” but stopped short of withdrawing his endorsement, saying Gonzales must “address” the matter with constituents. Trump has not yet commented on the allegations.

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