Texas Republican quits House race after affair with widow of ISIS fighter revealed

Van Taylor outperformed opponents in Tuesday's primary

Van Taylor was one of the few Republicans who denounced the January 6 insurrection and voted to certify Donald Trump's loss in the 2020 election. AP

Two-term US Representative Van Taylor on Wednesday withdrew from a Republican primary run-off race after admitting he had an extramarital affair with the widow of an American who joined ISIS.

Mr Taylor, who represents a north-east Texas district, last year voted for a special congressional panel to investigate the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.

He earned the anger of former president Donald Trump, whose supporters mounted the deadly attack.

His withdrawal came a day after he led a pack of five Republicans in a primary race with 48.7 per cent of the vote, a bit shy of the 50 per cent needed to win his party's nomination.

With his withdrawal, a former Texas county judge, Keith Self, has become the Republican nominee for the November 8 general election in the seat representing an area north of Dallas, including Plano.

The Dallas Morning News quoted Mr Taylor as telling supporters he had made “a horrible mistake” by engaging in the affair with the woman.

Mr Taylor's congressional office in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment or say whether he will serve out the rest of his term.