Only black Republican in the House quits as mass exodus of GOP lawmakers continues

On Thursday, Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) announced he will not seek re-election in 2020, in a devastating blow to Republicans' chances of reclaiming the House majority.

"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," wrote Hurd in his announcement.

Hurd, who represents a heavily Hispanic swing district stretching from San Antonio to El Paso, is the only remaining black Republican in the House, as well as the only remaining Republican to represent a district on the southern border with Mexico.

His retirement is the latest in a mad dash by House Republicans for the exits ahead of 2020 — in Texas alone, two other GOP congressmen, Reps. Pete Olson and Mike Conaway, have announced they will not seek another term over the past few days. The Cook Political Report now says that with Hurd gone, the election for his open seat favors Democrats.

"Two centuries ago, I would have been counted as three-fifths of a person, and today I can say I’ve had the honor of serving three terms in Congress," wrote Hurd. "America has come a long way and we still have more to do in our pursuit of a more perfect union. However, this pursuit will stall if we don’t all do our part. When I took the oath of office after joining the CIA, I swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all its enemies. I took the same oath on my first day in Congress. This oath doesn’t have a statute of limitations. I will keep fighting to ensure the country I love excels during what will be a time of unprecedented technological change.