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Scandal-battered Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales survived his primary fight and will advance to a May 26 runoff against challenger Brandon Herrera, keeping alive his bid for a fourth term in one of the nation’s most closely watched House races.
In early returns, Gonzales captured about 44% of the vote while Herrera trailed with about 41%.
Since neither candidate surpassed the 50% threshold, the Republican contest in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District remains unsettled, setting up another expensive and bruising showdown between the incumbent and the hard-right challenger who nearly unseated him two years ago.
In a post on the social media platform X, Gonzales wrote Tuesday night: “Thank you President Trump and all those TX23 constituents that support our campaign. Onward to a victorious May.”
Herrera, a gun-rights activist, firearms manufacturer, and YouTube personality known as “The AK Guy,” once again proved he has strong support with conservative GOP primary voters, but he wasn’t able to find enough supporters to topple the incumbent.
The runoff also gives Gonzales a chance to politically recover after weeks of damaging headlines tied to allegations that he had an affair with a former congressional staffer, Regina Santos Avilés, who later died by suicide.
The San Antonio Express-News first reported the allegations just before early voting began. Gonzales, who was endorsed by President Trump, denied the affair. The report included screenshots of text messages, provided by Santos-Avilés’ husband, that appeared to show Gonzales pressuring her for sex in explicit exchanges.
Despite the scandal, Gonzales resisted calls to resign or leave the race. He told CNN that the public had not seen all the facts, though he declined to explain what additional information might change public understanding of the allegations. Santos-Avilés died in September 2025, and the medical examiner ruled her death a suicide.
The runoff ensures Republicans will continue an intraparty battle in a district that stretches roughly 800 miles along the U.S.-Mexico border from San Antonio to El Paso. The district is about 67% Hispanic and has long been politically competitive, even as recent redistricting has made it more favorable to Republicans.
On the Democratic side, Katy Padilla Stout won her party’s nomination, giving Democrats a clear candidate while Republicans remain locked in a costly and divisive contest. Her nomination now positions Democrats to watch the GOP runoff from the sidelines and prepare for the November race.
The prolonged Republican fight could reshape the general election outlook. What had been seen as a reliably Republican seat may grow more competitive depending on who emerges from the runoff — and how damaged that nominee is by the time the party heads into November.
