By Lauren Fairbanks and J Pete Laney
TAD Governmental Affairs
After a whirlwind of activity at the Texas Capitol this summer, the first and second called special sessions of the 89th Legislature have adjourned sine die – Latin for “without day” – and members of the House and Senate have returned to their home districts.
The first special session, which ran July 21 to Aug. 15, included an ambitious 18-item agenda set by Gov. Greg Abbott, spanning flood preparedness, hemp/THC regulation, property tax reform, taxpayer-funded lobbying ban and congressional redistricting, among other issues. In response to the focus on redrawing U.S. House district lines, over 50 Democratic state House members staged a quorum-breaking walkout on Aug. 4, effectively halting legislative action on redistricting and leaving the House unable to pass related bills. The Legislature adjourned Aug. 15, and the governor immediately called a second special session that same day, carrying forward the same agenda, including congressional redistricting along with some new priorities like camp safety following the deadly July 4 floods in the Hill Country.
During the second special session, the Republican-led House successfully passed the mid-decade redistricting bill by an 88–52 party-line vote, with the goal to flip up to five U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterms. The Senate followed suit with its approval, passing the map 18–11 after ending a Democratic filibuster with a procedural move. Abbott signed the bill into law on Aug. 29, officially codifying the GOP-favored map. After working through the night in the days following Labor Day, both chambers reached deals on most of the big-ticket items and adjourned Sine Die in the early morning hours of Sept. 4, which was 11 days shy of the 30-day limit on special sessions.
Now that the Legislature has adjourned and there are not currently plans for another special called session, members have returned home to their districts. Many are focusing their attention on their reelection campaigns, others are running for higher office, and a growing list of long-serving members in both the House and Senate have either already resigned for new roles or are retiring from public service.
As we look to the next regular legislative session in 2027, there will be a staggering number of new faces to meet and educate on rural Texas and the growing impact of Texas dairy farms. Keep reading for an updated list of retirements and announcements for higher office.
TEXAS HOUSE
- HD 9. Rep. Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) has announced his campaign for the retiring Sen. Robert Nichols’ seat.
- HD 15. Rep. Steve Toth (R-Conroe) has announced his bid for Congress against U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw.
- HD 18. Rep. John Lujan (R-San Antonio) has filed paperwork to run for Congress in newly redrawn U.S. House District 35.
- HD 21. Former Speaker, Rep. Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) has announced he will not run for reelection.
- HD 50. Rep. James Talarico (D-Austin) has announced he will run for the U.S. Senate Democrat nomination.
- HD 71. Rep. Stan Lambert (R-Abilene) will not seek reelection.
- HD 94. Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) has announced a run for the Tarrant County Commissioners Court.
- HD 96. Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield) has announced he’s running for the Texas Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Brian Birdwell.
- HD 98. Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake) will not run for reelection.
- HD 125. Rep. Ray Lopez (D-San Antonio) will not seek reelection.
- HD 126. Rep. Sam Harless (R-Spring) will not run for reelection.
- HD 128. Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) has announced his campaign for U.S. Congress.
- HD 129. Rep. Dennis Paul (R-Houston) has announced he will run to replace Sen. Mayes Middleton, who is running for the Republican nomination for Texas Attorney General.
- HD 131. Rep. Alma Allen (D-Houston) will not run for reelection and has endorsed her son Lawrence Allen, Jr. to replace her.
- HD 135. Rep. Jon Rosenthal (D-Houston) has announced his intent to run for Railroad Commission.
- HD 147. Rep. Jolanda Jones (D-Houston) has announced her candidacy for U.S. Congressional District 18, the seat vacated by the death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner.
TEXAS SENATE
- Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) will not seek reelection after 20 years in the Senate.
- Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) has announced he will not seek reelection.
- Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) resigned his seat to become acting comptroller with the departure of Comptroller Glenn Hegar to serve Texas A&M University as chancellor. Hancock has announced his candidacy for a full term.
- Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) has announced he will run for the Republican nomination for Texas Attorney General.
- Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) has been selected as the next chancellor at Texas Tech University. He will resign his Senate seat in the coming weeks.
