Congressman Van Taylor of Texas suspends reelection campaign after admitting infidelity

North Texas Congressman Van Taylor suspended his reelection campaign Wednesday after he admitted having had an extramarital affair. He had also been forced into a primary runoff election after winning 49% of the vote on Tuesday, short of the 50% necessary to avert the runoff.

"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 said in a statement. "I had an affair, it was wrong, and it was the greatest failure of my life."

Taylor apologized to his wife and his three daughters, and said he and his wife have "been working to repair the scars left by my actions" for months. Breitbart News was first to report the news of Taylor's infidelity.

Taylor, who was first elected in 2018 to represent Texas' 3rd Congressional District, is a former Marine and Iraq war combat veteran. According to CBS Dallas Fort Worth, he was considered one of the Texas delegation's most conservative members.

But Taylor faced a primary challenge on the right after he voted to certify the 2020 election results, and he supported a congressional commission to investigate the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. 

Taylor won about 49% of the vote on Tuesday against former Collin County Judge Keith Self, who picked up 27% of the vote. Suzanne Harp was third with 21%.  

Self had heavily criticized Taylor for his vote to certify the 2020 presidential election, to establish a commission to investigate the attacks on January 6 and for voting to remove Confederate statues from the Capitol.

Taylor will finish his term, his campaign said Wednesday.