A Texas House Democrat has announced he will not seek re-election just a day after the Supreme Court gave the state the green light to use congressional maps backed by President Donald Trump that aim to delete up to five Democratic seats.
Rep. Lloyd Doggett announced his decision Friday afternoon on X, after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a new Republican-drawn congressional map on Thursday, which would pit him against Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) in the reconfigured district covering much of Austin.
"I am most appreciative for the opportunity to have represented our communty in public office for most of the last 50 years — apprciative for the support and encouragement of so many neighbors as well as people from McAllen to San Antonio, from San Marcos to La Grange, who at various times have made my continued service possible — whether in CD10, CD25, CD35, or currently CD37," he wrote in a statement shared to X.
Doggett added that he will "continue working with the same urgency and determination as if next year were my last, which in public office it will be."
"After that, I will seek new ways to join my neighbors in making a difference in the only town I have ever called home," he said.
Doggett's announcement comes after he said in August that he would not seek reelection if the map held up in court. He agreed with Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan's scathing dissent that the high court failed in its duty.
"What all of us must do now is redouble our efforts to ensure that the failings in our country brought on by Trump and his enablers do not consume our democracy, replacing it with autocracy," he said.
Furthermore, he agreed with challengers in the case who called the maps a "racial gerrymandering."