Five-term Texas Rep. Bill Flores won't run for re-election in 2020, becoming the state's fifth Republican congressman to say he's leaving. The announcement Wednesday brings the number of House Republicans retiring next year to 15. One-third of them are from Texas, where a generation of GOP dominance is weakening amid demographic changes and booming suburbs that are trending to Democrats, reports the AP.
Flores easily held on to to his mostly rural district last year, unlike other Republican incumbents who got a scare in races closer to Texas' big cities. Flores, 65, says he made a commitment when he first ran for Congress that he would serve no more than six terms. "After much prayer over the past few days and following conversations with my wife, Gina, during that time, I have decided that my current term will be my last," he said Wednesday, per Politico. It reports that the former CEO of Phoenix Exploration Company plans to "resume business activities in the private sector." Among the other Texans leaving are Will Hurd, the House's only black Republican, and Rep. Michael Conaway, a former House Agriculture Committee chairman.
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