Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) has announced his retirement, leaving the Republican party with yet another 2020 vacancy and devoid of any black congressmen.
After listing the problems plaguing the United States, including “growing cyberattacks” and “unbearable pressure on our borders,” Hurd announced his intent to retire.
“After reflecting on how best to help our country address these challenges, I have made the decision to not seek reelection for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas in order to pursue opportunities outside the halls of Congress to solve problems at the nexus between technology and national security,” he wrote in a long statement.
He vowed to “stay involved in politics to grow a Republican Party that looks like America.”
Hurd was sometimes willing to break with the party, one of only four Republicans to vote for a resolution condemning President Donald Trump’s racist attacks on the squad, but has pledged multiple times to vote for the President in 2020.
Hurd just squeaked by his Democratic challenger, Gina Ortiz Jones, in 2018, winning just 49.2 percent of the vote.
The Cook Political Report categorizes Texas’ 23rd district as “lean Democratic,” making it a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats.
Hurd is now the third representative from Texas — following Reps. Pete Olson and Mike Conaway — and the sixth Republican congressperson overall to announce his retirement in the past few weeks.
