21 Facts About Tony Gonzales

Tony Gonzales is considered a moderate Republican, having voted for proposals such as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and the Respect for Marriage Act.

Tony Gonzales is one of 18 Republicans who voted against Jim Jordan's nomination for Speaker of the House all three times, and the only Republican to have voted against the House rules package afterwards.

Tony Gonzales's votes have prompted several conservative primary challengers in 2024.

Tony Gonzales was raised in San Antonio, Devine, and Camp Wood, Texas.

Tony Gonzales earned an Associate of Arts from Chaminade University, a Bachelor of Science from Excelsior College, a graduate certificate in legislative studies from Georgetown University, and a Master of Arts from American Public University.

Tony Gonzales is in a PhD program at the University of Southern Mississippi, where he has specialized in international development, security studies, and international politics.

From 1999 to 2019, Tony Gonzales served in the United States Navy, retiring with the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer.

Tony Gonzales served as a Department of Defense fellow in the office of Senator Marco Rubio and worked as an assistant professor of political science at the University of Maryland.

Tony Gonzales ran for Texas's 23rd congressional district in the 2020 election.

Tony Gonzales voted against impeaching Trump after the events of January 6,2021, saying that the nation needed to heal and that he looked forward to working with President Biden to do that.

On November 5,2021, Tony Gonzales voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, along with all but thirteen House Republicans.

Tony Gonzales published a press release on November 6,2021, saying, "Last night, I voted against the infrastructure bill as it will only lead to more spending for the Democrats and this flailing administration".

Tony Gonzales later published a press release on his official government web site on January 24,2022, attempting to take credit for the bill's $75 million investment in the San Antonio River Authorities West Side Creeks Ecosystem Restoration Project.

On May 19,2021, Tony Gonzales was one of 35 Republicans to join all Democrats in voting to approve legislation to establish the January 6,2021 commission meant to investigate the storming of the US Capitol.

On March 4,2023, the Texas Republican Party's executive committee censured Tony Gonzales for failing to vote in line with the party positions, citing his decision to support the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and the Respect for Marriage Act as well as his vote against a House rules packages passed after the contested 2023 Speaker election.

Tony Gonzales has cited cybersecurity as "a top priority in Congress" and has supported increased funding for Texan infrastructure against acts of cyberterrorism or ransomware.

Tony Gonzales voted to support Israel following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Tony Gonzales supported amending the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act to remove a proposed red flag law provision.

In 2022, Tony Gonzales argued that while the Remain in Mexico policy enacted by the Trump administration had flaws, it had been an effective strategy to prevent illegal immigration and asylum fraud and that repealing laws on illegal immigration and off-soil asylum processing had led to cases such as the trailer deaths in San Antonio earlier that year.

On June 13,2024, Tony Gonzales was the sole Republican who voted against an amendment that would prohibit Tricare and the Department of Defense from covering and furnishing gender transition surgeries and gender hormone treatments for individuals that identify as transgender.

Tony Gonzales was among the 71 Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.