Another GOP lawmaker decides not to run for re-election

An unexpected string of retirements from Republicans in Congress continued to grow on Thursday with Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) announcing that he would not run for re-election in 2020, making him in the fifth GOP lawmaker in the last eight days to decide to leave the U.S. House at the end of this term.

"I will keep fighting to remind people why I love America: that we are neither Republican nor Democrat nor Independent," said Hurd, who is the only black Republican in the House.

Hurd was already a target for Democrats, as the Texas Republican barely survived a strong challenge in 2018, when he won by less than 1,000 votes over Gina Ortiz Jones, who is again running against for his seat in Congress.

The recent rash of retirements shows a 2020 casualty list which is tilted towards Republicans - as 10 of the 13 House members not running or re-election are from the GOP, while three of the four Senators not returning are Republicans.

Hurd is the third Republican from Texas to announce his retirement in the last week, as Democrats in the Lone Star State believe they have a chance to pick up a number of GOP seats in 2020.

“Texas is the biggest battleground state," said the Texas Democratic Party chief Manny Garcia. "Republicans know it, and Texas Democrats damn sure know it."

Hurd is currently the only Republican in Congress whose district runs along the southern border with Mexico.

There have been rumblings in recent weeks on Capitol Hill that a number of Republicans might announce their retirements from the House during the current summer break, as lawmakers aren't due back in Washington until after Labor Day.

So far, 13 House members have announced they will not run for re-election in 2020 - 10 of those are Republicans.

In the Senate, four Senators won't run again next year - three of those four are Republicans.

Cox Media Group