Tony Gonzales

Tony Gonzales served in the U.S. Navy from 1999 to 2019. Gonzales earned a master's degree in international relations and conflict resolution from American Public University in 2014 and a graduate certificate in legislative studies from Georgetown University. His career experience includes working as a cryptologist with the U.S. Navy.[2]

Tony Gonzales did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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Campaign websiteGonzales' campaign website stated the following:Opportunity for all TexansTony knows what it’s like to struggle to make ends meet and he believes all Texans should have a chance to live their American Dream.Right now, inflation is crushing hard working Texans. Tony is fighting hard to stop the reckless spending that has caused prices to skyrocket and lower taxes on middle class families.He’s working to bring back jobs from overseas and ensure America is the 21st century leader in energy supply, advanced manufacturing, agriculture production, cybersecurity, as well as medical, scientific, and technological innovation.Tony is leading the charge to defend Texas energy jobs, stand up for Texas farmers and ranchers, champion small businesses and support education policies that prioritize parents and children over bureaucrats and red tape.Border SecurityAs the representative of the largest border district in the country, Tony is taking charge to deal with the fallout of the Biden border crisis. He is leading the effort to label Mexican drug cartels as terrorists organizations and implement tougher penalties on drug dealers and human smugglers.Tony has authored legislation to:End catch-and-releaseCombat abuses of America’s asylum lawsEliminate measures that keep Border Patrol agents stuck in the processing centers rather than on the frontlines securing the borderAdd more technologyImprove Border Patrol’s compensationIncrease funding for local law enforcement along the borderReimburse property owners for damages incurred as a result of the crisisTony is also a firm believer that the American Dream does not always start in America. Millions of people have come to the United States legally in pursuit of a better life. For that reason, Tony is working to fix our broken legal immigration system and reform our work visa program.Tough on CrimeWhile soft-on-crime politicians undermine our police, Tony has delivered millions of dollars in additional funding for local law enforcement.Tony has authored a bill to strengthen the penalty for assaulting law enforcement to defend officers in the line of duty.He’s also fought to label fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction and charge dealers who can be linked to an overdose death with felony murder.Veterans and the MilitaryAs a veteran himself, Tony Gonzales understands the sacrifices our men and women in uniform, along with their families, make to defend America. Prior to his time in Congress, Tony served as a legislative fellow on Capitol Hill where he was instrumental in crafting the VA Accountability Act which made it easier to fire bureaucrats who fail our veterans.In the Navy, Tony served on missions around the world. Now in Congress, his mission is to make sure veterans get every single benefit and resource they’ve earned. He supported the PACT Act, which delivers help to soldiers exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances.He is fighting to bring more VA healthcare centers to South and West Texas and has brought home federal funds to build homes for veterans in TX-23. He also wrote legislation to provide veterans with better mental health support.Tony has voted to give active duty servicemembers a pay raise and is a steadfast defender of Texas military installations.Tony has secured:$2.5 Billion for veteran telehealth and connected care services$2.2 Billion for veteran suicide prevention programs$150 Million for a new El Paso VA healthcare center$22 Million for the Lackland Air Force Base Child Development CenterMental HealthThe mental health crisis is ruining lives, yet the state of Texas ranks last in access to mental healthcare. But not for long. Tony Gonzales helped pass one of the largest investments in mental health in our nation’s history. He also introduced the UNITED Act to further resolve this crisis. This legislation would improve services like suicide prevention, addiction recovery, crisis care, and telehealth. Additionally, the legislation would provide resources to train community leaders, like educators and law enforcement, to identify early signs of mental health issues so people in need can get the necessary help as soon as possible.EducationTony supports all forms of education including, but not limited to, public schools, charter schools, private schools, religious schools, and homeschooling. Tony also believes America needs to place a greater emphasis on vocational education opportunities.He believes the primary role of schools is to teach students how to think – as opposed to what to think. Tony is a strong advocate for parents as well when it comes to education. Parents have every right to know what is being taught in their child’s classroom.Tony is working tirelessly to improve school security. Our schools should be a safe haven for kids, a place where dreams are born and young minds are inspired. No student, parent, or teacher should have to worry about school safety. That’s why Tony helped pass hundreds of millions of dollars in new funding for securing schools.Defending Our RightsTony is a Christian and a father of six children. He is 100% pro-life and opposes efforts to use federal tax dollars to fund abortion. Tony has also written legislation to improve the foster care system to prevent any child from falling through the cracks.Tony is a strong supporter of Americans’ Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.Tony is a staunch defender of Americans’ property rights and opposes efforts to stifle free speech.Results for TexasAs a member of the influential House Appropriations Committee, Tony is making sure this district has a seat at the table when it comes to how our tax dollars get spent.Tony has secured funds to improve rural health services, develop a senior center, provide resources to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and San Antonio Police Department, as well as rural law enforcement, in addition to delivering needed water infrastructure funding. — Tony Gonzales' campaign website (November 21, 2025)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

Tony Gonzales did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Tony Gonzales did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Retired Navy Master Chief Tony Gonzales was raised between San Antonio, Devine, and Camp Wood Hills, Texas. As a careeer Cryptologist, Tony deployed multiple times in support of combat operations to Iraq and Afghanistan, and throughout Asia. He previously served on Capitol Hill as a Department of Defense Legislative Fellow in Senator Rubio's office where he contributed to the defense, foreign policy, and intelligence portfolios.

As an active member in his community, he founded the Tony Gonzales Foundation, a non-profit focused on empowering and encourage growth and development in impoverished areas of San Antonio by uniting local businesses, schools, and families. In 2018, Tony was selected as a National Security Fellow for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a non-profit, non-partisan Washington D.C. institute focused on foreign policy and national security.

Tony also serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland system where he instructs counterterrorism, U.S. Government, and political science courses. Tony holds a Graduate Certificate in Legislative Studies from Georgetown University, a Master's degree in International Relations from American Public University and is a Ph.D. candidate in International Development with an emphasis on Security Studies and International Politics at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Tony is married to Angel Gonzales and has five wonderful children: Christina, Jesus, Emmanuel, Daniel, and Gabriel.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Tony is 100% pro-life and believes all life is sacred, starting at conception. Human rights are fundamental to the core of American principles and our laws must protect it. He believes the family is the most important component in American society and advocates for pro-family legislative policies such as school choice, expanding the child tax credit, and supporting advanced skills to adult learners. The family unit is at the heart of American society and thus must be supported with opportunities, not hand-outs. The U.S. government should focus on its future generation of citizens by improving access for adult learners to earn a livable wage through reduction of unnecessary regulations and streamlining the trade skill certification process.Tony supports a strong national defense and foreign policy based on the principles of American military strength, active protection of our economy, and constant advocacy for our core values around the globe. Tony unequivocally supports the right to keep and bear arms. He will always support our 2nd Amendment rights and advocate in any forum when they are infringed upon. Tony supports the construction of a border wall where appropriate, enhanced use of technology to cover vast rural areas, increasing manpower along the border, and a modern entry/exit program. Ultimately, we MUST adopt an 'all-of-the-above' approach to secure the border and keep our families safe.  Economic opportunities and free Enterprise are at the center of a thriving community. Tony is focused on reducing regulations to support the dignity of work for blue collar Americans who are fighting to better the lives of themselves and their families. The individual knows how to best spend their money, not government, and Tony supports cutting taxes along with unnecessary regulations which increases the cost of doing business for small business owners. The American dream is what makes our nation special and part of that dream is having employment which can provide a livable wage. Attending higher learning institutions is important when obtaining new skills but equally as important are earning these skills through trade programs.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education is the ultimate equalizer and we all benefit when a child reaches their full potential in life. Tony supports all forms of educational opportunities to include, but not limited to, charter schools, public schools, private schools, religious schools, and home schooling. He understands that education is primarily a state and local issue but encourages federal involvement when appropriate. Tony's five children have attended all different types of schools during his 20 years in military service, and he believes "choice" should be left up to the parents.

The world looks to America for leadership and guidance as we fight a rise in terrorism, intellectual theft, human rights violations, and dictatorship. America has the most formidable military in the world, and we must maintain constant support to our warriors in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Intelligence community to ensure they successfully combat our adversaries. This also means that we must support our veterans when they return home and ensure they have access to the healthcare they deserve.

Maintaining and improving access to quality healthcare through a capitalist-based system.

Campaign website

Gonzales' campaign website stated the following:

COMMUNITY

Tony is focused on reducing regulations to support the dignity of work for blue collar Americans who are fighting to better the lives of themselves and their families.

Economic opportunities and free enterprise are at the center of a thriving community. The individual knows how to best spend their money, not government, and Tony supports cutting taxes along with unnecessary regulations which increases the cost of doing business for small business owners.

The American dream is what makes our nation special and part of that dream is having employment which can provide a livable wage. Attending higher learning institutions is important when obtaining new skills but equally as important are earning these skills through trade programs.

Tony will fight for hard working men and women who have been long forgotten in the 21st economy by improving access to high wage-earning skill sets.

Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) play an ever-increasing role with improving stability in our nation and across the world. Advocating for NGOs who fill the voids left by government and free enterprise is an important measure when creating a strong foundation for the next generation of leaders in America.

Tony is an active neighbor in his community. Recently, he founded the Tony Gonzales Foundation, a non-profit focused on empowering and encouraging growth and development in impoverished areas of San Antonio by uniting local businesses, schools, and families.

COUNTRY

Tony supports a strong national defense and foreign policy based on the principles of American military strength, active protection of our economy, and constant advocacy for our core values around the globe.

The world looks to America for leadership and guidance as we fight a rise in terrorism, intellectual theft, human rights violations, and dictatorship. America has the most formidable military in the world, and we must maintain constant support to our warriors in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Intelligence community to ensure they successfully combat our adversaries. Improving military strength stems from increasing troop levels, increasing the size of the Navy (to 350 ships), and providing state of the art technology to our support elements.

Protecting the global economic environment is imperative to travel and trade as Americans depend on the ability to transit freely in the international marketplace. Chaos across the globe weakens American economic power by making it unsafe for Americans who live and work abroad. Tony believes the American dream is our greatest asset as a nation and must be supported through policies based on democratic principles, defense of human rights, and protection of the sovereignty of our allies. As the leader of the free world, we must advocate for peace and prosperity for all those seeking a better life.

Tony unequivocally supports the right to keep and bear arms. He will always support our 2nd Amendment rights and advocate in any forum when they are infringed upon.

Our immigration system is broken. There’s no doubt in my mind that immigration reform starts with southern border security. Tony supports the construction of a border wall where appropriate, enhanced use of technology to cover vast rural areas, increasing manpower along the border, and a modern entry/exit program. Ultimately, we MUST adopt an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach to secure the border and keep our families safe.

Washington has been talking about it for years, but Congress failed to make it a reality. As your Congressman, Tony will fight for increased border security and make our national security a top priority.

GOD & FAMILY

Tony is 100% pro-life and believes all life is sacred, starting at conception.

Human rights are fundamental to the core of American principles and our laws must protect its citizens as such. The U.S. government should not play an active role in funding abortions but instead focus on reforming the adoption process. For over 45 years, the Supreme Court’s flawed decision in Roe v. Wade has resulted in the death of over 60 million innocent babies. Tony strongly supports the nuclear family and prays for the day when unborn babies are protected.

Tony believes the family is the most important component in American society and advocates for pro-family legislative policies such as school choice, expanding the child tax credit, and supporting advanced skills to adult learners.

The family unit is at the heart of American society and thus must be supported with opportunities, not hand-outs. The U.S. government should focus on its future generation of citizens by improving access for adult learners to earn a livable wage through reduction of unnecessary regulations and streamlining the trade skill certification process.

Tony supports all forms of educational opportunities to include, but not limited to, charter schools, public schools, private schools, religious schools, and home schooling. He understands that education is primarily a state and local issue but encourages federal involvement when appropriate.

Tony’s five children, Christina, Jesus, Emmanuel, Daniel, and Gabriel have attended all different types of schools during his 20 years in military service, and he believes “choice” should be left up to the parents. Education is the ultimate equalizer and we all benefit when a child reaches their full potential in life.

PRO LIFE

I am 100% pro life and I believe all life is sacred, with life beginning at conception.

PRO FAMILY

I will advocate for pro-family policies including school choice, expanding the child tax credit and supporting advanced skills to adult learners.

PRO 2ND AMENDMENT

I am a strong 2nd amendment supporter and received a perfect grade on my NRA questionnaire.

STRONG AMERICA

After 20 years in the Navy, I understand what it takes to protect our country. I believe in ‘peace through strength’ and will always support our military and veterans.

SECURE BORDER

I will support significant increases in border security, with new border wall in high traffic areas, and work to shut down sanctuary cities, and modernize our entry/exit system to limit fraud.

PRO GROWTH

I will support supply side policies which reduce taxes and regulation to help grow the economy, raise wages, and increase private sector hiring.[3]

—Tony Gonzales[4]