Tony Gonzales
Republican | Texas
Candidate Profile*
Moderate
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Tony Gonzales
Party
Republican
Election Year
2026
Election
Republican Primary
Race
U.S. Representative 23
Incumbent
Yes
Links
EDUCATION
American Public University, Charleston, West Virginia, Masters, 2007
Georgetown University, Washington D.C., Certificate
University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Ph.D (Candidate)
WORK & MILITARY
United States Navy, Master Chief Petty Officer E-9, 1999-2019
AFFILIATIONS
Member, Make a Wish Foundation, Central and South Texas Board of Trustees
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Congressman, U.S. District Texas 23, 2021-2025
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Congressman, U.S. District Texas 23, 2021-2025
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
ENDORSEMENTS*
CONSERVATIVE (8)
National Right To Life
Mike Johnson
*Life PAC
Steve Scalise
Tom Emmer
LIBERAL (2)
San Antonio Firefighters Association Local 624 IAFF
Deputy Sheriff's Association of Bexar County
OTHER (6)
President Donald J. Trump
Texas Farm Bureau AGFUND
Texas Municipal Police Association TMPA
Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas CLEAT PAC
Cattle Raisers PAC of the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (28)
President Donald J. Trump
None
2025-
Speaker of the U.S. House Mike Johnson
None
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (9)
Republican Jewish Coalition (2025)
WinRed (2025)
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2023)
Republican Womens Organizations (2023)
State Republican Party Organizations (2023)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (235)
Andrew & Simona Beal (2025)
Donald R. "Dee" Margo II (2025)
Electing Majority Making Effective Republicans (2025)
Elisa Chan (2025)
Eye of the Tiger PAC (2025)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Democracy Engine (2023)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (9)
National Air Traffic Controllers Association (2025)
Adam Loewy (2024)
American Unity PAC (2024)
International Union of Elevator Constructors (2024)
Natoinal Assocation of Retired Federal Employees (2024)
OTHER INFORMATION
This candidate voted for H.R. 485, the Protecting Care for All Patients Act, which would prohibit federal health programs from using discriminatory measures known as Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs.) A vote for the bill is a pro-life position that indicates opposition to reducing or eliminating care for people with various disabilities and chronic conditions.
Candidate Pledges to Support Term Limits on Congress. U.S. Term Limits. 13 Jul 2023.
Candidate graded C- by pro-marijuana group NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws).
Candidate received a grade of D from Ammo.com. Voting History, Stance, and Most Important Issues included in candidate profile.
One of 18 Republican House members who voted against the amendment H.Amdt.382 to H.R4365 that
would have “prohibited funds from being used to conduct the observance
of Pride Month authorized by the Under Secretary of Defense for
Personnel and Readiness for the Cultural Observances and Awareness
Events List.” Link to the roll call vote: Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives - Vote Details
On 3/3/2023 the Republican Party of Texas censured Rep. Tony Gonzales for voting for H.R. 8404 - Respect for Marriage Act and S. 2938 - “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act while voting against H.R. 5 - House Rules Package and opposing H.R. 29 - Border Safety and Security Act of 2023.
On final vote in Dec. 2022, this candidate voted in favor of HR 8404 repealing the Defense of Marriage Act.
This candidate voted in favor of HR 8404 repealing the Defense of Marriage Act.
Voted yes on H.R.4350, a bill which would have expanded Selective Service registration to include women.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Strongly Agree
As a Christian and father of six children, I am 100% committed to preserving the right to life. My voting record reflects that same dedication to fighting for the unborn, and has earned me an A+ scorecard from various pro-life organizations, including SBA Pro-Life and National Right to Life.
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Strongly Agree
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Limited circumstances such as instances of rape or a direct threat to the life of the mother.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Disagree
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Strongly Agree
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
People who can afford to pay more taxes should do so in order to provide relief for working families.
Disagree
I am against raising taxes. Our major focus should be on limiting unnecessary government debt.
The government should cut spending in order to reduce the national debt.
Strongly Agree
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
1) Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy 2) Improve congressional oversight of appropriated dollars 3) Enact regulatory reform
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
Our democracy is based on the right to free speech and that includes the right to exercise one's religion freely. The government should have no role in limiting that ability.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
Families and individuals should always have the liberty to access high-quality, private healthcare options if they choose to-- the government should never bar access to that right.
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Disagree
NATIONAL SECURITY
With regard to America's foreign policy, which view most closely resembles yours: A) The United States should intervene whenever freedom is threatened. B) The United States should selectively help countries trying to grow democracy and fight tyranny. C) The United States has become too involved in others' policies and should remain focused on issues regarding our own sovereignty unless in imminent danger. D) The United States should stay out of foreign conflicts completely.
Peace through strength is one of the greatest doctrines of our time. As a 20-year Navy veteran I fought to uphold America's place as the leading democracy in the world, and I will always dedicate myself to ensuring no foreign adversary can undermine that.
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
In the Navy I specialized in cryptology, so I know firsthand how the CCP is actively working to undermine American interests. In Congress, I have led on multiple pieces of legislation to ensure America can continue to defend itself against this growing threat. That includes banning CCP-affiliated enterprises from purchasing American land and making our cyber infrastructure more resilient.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Absolutely. Israel is America's most formidable ally in the Middle East. Not only do our economic and security interests overlap greatly, but we also share many of the same democratic values. The U.S.-Israel relationship is extremely important.
Islamic terrorism is a threat to the United States' national security.
Strongly Agree
IMMIGRATION
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
I have the privilege and responsibility of representing the largest share of the U.S.-Mexico border in Congress. I've seen firsthand how illegal immigration threatens not only our safety, but our way of life in Texas. That is why I worked alongside President Trump to pass the largest border security package in recent history. I also believe in giving law-abiding individuals the opportunity to pursue the American dream through our LEGAL immigration system.
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Strongly Disagree
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Agree
Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
Strongly Agree
VALUES
Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.
Strongly Agree
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Strongly Agree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
As a Christian and father of six, I am deeply committed to pursuing a life of service and to promoting family values in our society. This includes protecting the right to life and ensuring that Americans can continue to pray and worship without fear of discrimination.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
Election integrity is a serious issue. We need to ensure that our voting processes are strong in order to prevent fraud or any kind of foreign intervention. This includes making our voter rolls more accurate by purging ineligible or deceased voters more efficiently. It also means that we have to enforce laws to prevent non-citizens from voting in our elections.
EQUALITY
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Strongly Agree
Biological males should NOT be able to compete in women's sports, nor should they be allowed to use facilities that are intended for females. That's why I've voted to keep transgender individuals out of women’s sports and to ensure that businesses, shelters, churches and schools have the right to refuse any transgender mandates that force them to act against their religious or moral convictions.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Texas is blessed with an abundance of oil, gas, and other natural resources. These fuels make our energy economy the strongest in the world. I am committed to fighting against "Green New Deal" mandates that limit our energy and economic potential.
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No.
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Very Conservative
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Strongly Agree
Protecting our children from harm should always be a priority. We can do this effectively while preserving the First Amendment right to free speech. For example, I have authored legislation that strengthens the ability of special task forces to target drug dealers and human traffickers that use the dark web to conduct their illegal activities. By providing law enforcement with more resources to combat these online criminals, we can keep our children from being exposed to harmful predators.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Our Constitution provides law-abiding citizens with the right to bear arms without government intervention. I am committed to protecting that right to the fullest extent and have consistently voted to protect the Second Amendment in its purest form. That includes voting NO on any kind of assault weapons bans, universal background checks, or mandatory red flag laws. I've also gone one step further by DEFUNDING anti-2A policies at the ATF and introducing legislation to expand concealed carry.
