Rep. Tony Gonzalez to face expulsion vote in coming week

House Democrats will move to expel Republican Rep. Tony Gonzalez from office next week, according to a report from Axios. Gonzalez, whose vast 23rd Congressional District includes Del Rio, is already under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for his admitted affair with a staffer.

The fallout from the admission in March caused Gonzalez to end his campaign for reelection. Though, he vowed to remain in office until the end of his current term in January 2027.

The vote on Gonzalez comes in response to a Republican Congresswoman’s plan to force a vote on Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, who is at the center of sexual assault that emerged earlier this week.

A successful vote of expulsion requires a two-thirds majority to pass, making it a rare action. Only 6 members of Congress have been expelled in history, with the most recent being New York Republican George Santos in 2023.

Rep. Gonzalez, who made stops in Del Rio in January, has publicly called his affair a “mistake” and a “lapse in judgement”.

“I take full responsibility for those actions,” Gonzalez said on a conservative podcast hosted by Joe Pags. “Since then I have reconciled with my wife, Angel. I’ve asked God to forgive me, which he has. And my faith is stronger than ever.”