AMARILLO, Texas (KXAN) — One of the longest serving Texans in Congress announced Monday he will not run for re-election in 2020.
U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry becomes the sixth Texas Republican who will not seek re-election in 2020, joining Rep. Bill Flores, Rep. Kenny Marchant, Rep. Will Hurd, Rep. Pete Olson and Rep. Michael Conaway.
The Republican represented the 13th Congressional District for 25 years which stretches from the Panhandle in Amarillo to Wichita Falls. He’s currently the ranking Republican member on the House Armed Services Committee.
Thornberry said in a release it was time for a change: “in January 2021, I will no longer have the honor of representing the people of the 13th District of Texas, but I will never be indifferent to the responsibility each of us has to serve and protect our beloved nation.”
In a Sept. 8 interview with KXAN, Thornberry said he hadn’t made a decision on whether to run again.
“People should not make too much of the fact that folks who have been in (Congress) a while or have put limits on themselves, how long they would serve, have decided to do something else. They may well be replaced by added skills and perspectives that will be good for the party and the country,” Thornberry told KXAN.
