U.S. House Rep. Van Taylor Withdraws From Runoff After Admission of Affair

Van Taylor, a U.S. House Rep. from Texas, has reportedly abruptly ended his re-election campaign following Tuesday's primary that saw him fall just short of winning the Republican nomination and set up a runoff election.

The driving force behind his decision is his admission of an affair that he was accused of having and subsequent payment to the woman to stay silent, which was reported by right-wing outlets prior to Tuesday's primary election, according to The Texas Tribune.

"About a year ago, I made a horrible mistake that has caused deep hurt and pain among those I love most in this world," Taylor reportedly wrote in an email to supporters. "I had an affair, it was wrong, and it was the greatest failure of my life. I want to apologize for the pain I have caused with my indiscretion, most of all to my wife Anne and our three daughters."

Taylor had also drawn criticism from other Republicans for his vocal opposition to the events of January 6, 2021, and other claims that former President Donald Trump was cheated out of the presidency. He also voted in favor of certifying the election results, and later in favor of creating an independent commission to investigate January 6.

He was accused of having a months-long affair with a woman named Tania Joya, who has become known as "ISIS bride" for her status as a widow of an Islamic State commander, the Tribune reported. He was also accused of paying her $5,000 to not publicly reveal the affair.

After receiving 49 percent of Tuesday's vote among the five Republican candidates, Taylor was set to face Keith Self, a former Texas county judge, in a runoff election to determine the Republican nominee for the November election.

He was one of the few Texas Republican incumbents not to receive an endorsement from Trump ahead of the primary, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Joya told the Dallas Morning News that she approached another candidate in the race, Suzanne Harp, hoping for Harp to confront Taylor about the affair privately and pressure him to resign, but she instead sent someone to interview Joya about the affair. She reportedly said that she did not intend to impact the outcome of the election, she was just "annoyed" at seeing his face on billboards in the area.

Taylor is expected to remove his name from the runoff election set for later this month, effectively handing the nomination to Self, and will finish out his current term in Congress until the new members are sworn in next January, the Morning News reported.

"I have let down so many other family members, friends, colleagues, supporters, and the people of the 3rd Congressional District whom I have had the great honor and privilege to represent. I am truly sorry, and I hope in time I can earn their forgiveness," Taylor wrote.

Update 3/2/22 6:00 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional context and information.