Texas Rep. Bill Flores will not seek reelection in 2020, becoming the latest Republican to retire from the increasingly competitive state.
Flores, who rode the 2010 tea party wave to Congress, is a former chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee and currently serves on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee.
“When I originally announced that I was running for Congress in 2009, I was firm in my commitment that I would run for six or fewer terms,” Flores, 65, said in a statement. “After much prayer over the past few days and following conversations with my wife, Gina, during that time, I have decided that my current term will be my last.”
His solidly Republican district includes Waco and the northern Austin suburbs and is home to two major universities: Texas A&M University and Baylor University. While Flores beat his Democratic opponent by 15 points last year, changing demographics in the state — and especially in the suburbs — have made a number of races in Texas more competitive.
Some of the Texas Republicans facing the toughest reelection battles have decided to hang up their voting cards instead of duking it out for another term, including Reps. Will Hurd, Pete Olson and Kenny Marchant.
Veteran GOP Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas, who is term-limited in leading the House Agriculture Committee, also announced his retirement earlier this summer. While he represents a ruby red district in Texas and could have easily won reelection, many Republicans — who have been relegated to the minority for the first time in eight years — recognize they face an uphill climb in winning back the House.
Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine