WASHINGTON — House Republican leadership Thursday called on Rep. Tony Gonzales to withdraw his reelection bid after the Ethics Committee opened an investigation into his alleged affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.

The statement from Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., is a turning point in a weeks-long controversy surrounding the future of the Texas Republican, who is facing a tough primary challenge in his district. Johnson had previously said they “have to allow the investigations to play out,” adding that Gonzales should address it with his constituents.

“The Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales’s conduct, and we urge them to act expeditiously. Congressman Gonzales has said he will fully cooperate with the investigation,” Johnson and leadership said in a statement. “In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., went even further Thursday, saying that he would support an expulsion resolution against Gonzales.

Gonzales, who is married with six children, said the relationship with married staff member Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide last year, was a “mistake” and a “lapse in judgement.” House rules prohibit members from engaging in a “sexual relationship” with a staffer.

Gonzales had denied any wrongdoing and avoided questions about the affair until after his Texas primary election Tuesday night. Neither he nor his opponent, YouTuber and pro-gun activist Brandon Herrera, got enough votes to secure the GOP candidate spot, sending them into a runoff election May 26.

He broke his silence Wednesday night on the “Joe Pags Show,” telling host Joe Pagliarulo that he takes “full responsibility” for the affair, but denying he had anything to do with her death, instead saying the scandal was the result of a “coordinated attack” against him.

“I made a mistake and I had a lapse in judgement,” he said, saying he’s reconciled with his wife and asked God to forgive him.

“He has,” he said.

He said he looked forward to the Ethics Committee investigation.

But he also said he had nothing to do with Santos-Aviles’ death, and that Santos-Aviles was “thriving” at work when she died.

He said within a day of Santos-Aviles’ death, her husband was asking about death benefits and how to gain access to her retirement fund. “It was eerie,” he said. “It was creepy.” A few months later, he said, the husband’s criminal defense attorney reached out and asked for $300,000.

He said at the time of her death, he had not spoken to Santos-Aviles in more than a year.

“I had absolutely nothing to do with her tragic passing and in fact I was as shocked as anyone else,” he said.

During the interview, Gonzales portrayed his position in Congress as essential.

“Everything is on the line … as far as these midterms,” he said. “I’m in one of the most difficult districts in the country, I’m in my third runoff in four cycles … and I’ve won every single time … I’m the only one who can hold [my district].”

“If we start losing districts like mine we are absolutely going to lose the House and then what we’ll see is we’ll see Democrats try to impeach President Trump at every single movement.”

Calls to resign

Only a handful of House Republicans have called on Gonzales to resign since the allegations came to light a few weeks ago — among them, Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Tim Burchett of Tennessee and Anna Paulina Luna of Florida. Gonzales said he has not spoken to Mace or Luna.

On Wednesday, Indiana Republican Marlin Stutzman called for Gonzales to drop his reelection bid, saying stepping down would be “the responsible choice.”

But his immediate resignation would whittle down the already razor-thin Republican majority in the House, which would make legislating on GOP priorities ahead of midterms elections extraordinarily difficult. Other Republican members instead called on Gonzales to drop his reelection campaign and retire after this year.

“He needs to go, that’s the line … a male harassing a female employee, I can’t stomach it,” Burchett said. “He’s a friend of mine but that’s beyond the pale.”

Luna on Wednesday filed resolutions Wednesday to censure Gonzales as well as strip him of his committee assignments.

The scandal also triggered a broader push from Mace to make public Ethics Committee investigations into sexual harassment allegations made against members of Congress. But the House on Wednesday voted to refer her resolution calling for the release to the Ethics Committee, where it has little chance of advancing.

“That young lady killed herself in the most horrendous way … and we’re just gonna say, ‘Let the process play out.’ Are you kidding me?” said Mace earlier this week. “This is the most heinous way to die and … we just shrug it off. No.”

Gonzales’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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