West Texas Republican U.S. Representative Jodey Arrington has confirmed he will not be seeking re-election in 2026.
Arrington made the announcement with Fox News on Tuesday.
The Plainview-native will wrap up a decade in the House, including a recent stint as the House Budget Committee chairman, which gave him a leading role in President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” tax plan that passed earlier this year.
In his farewell, Arrington also touted cotton’s 2018 return to the U.S. Farm Bill to support farmers in his district who produce around 50% of Texas cotton and have suffered from economic setbacks and low crop yields in recent years.
Arrington’s announcement comes just days after his office reported an endorsement from President Donald Trump, and after Democrat Kyle Rable announced his filing to be on the ballot for the District 19 seat next year.
Arrington did not specify what his next step would be after next year’s midterms, but that he would seek a “new leadership challenge.”
“My plans are to remain focused on advancing the America First agenda, growing the majority, and delivering for the people of West Texas,” Arrington said in a statement Tuesday.
Arrington’s House District 19 covers nearly all of the South Plains region and into the Texas Panhandle, including the cities of Lubbock, Abilene, and Plainview.