Aug 21, 09:25 PM

Texas Democrat Lloyd Doggett Ends 30-Year House Tenure After Redistricting

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Texas Democrat first elected to the House in 1994, said on 21 Aug 2025 that he will not seek another term after redistricting placed him in the same Austin-area district as freshman Democrat Greg Casar. Doggett, 78, explained that stepping aside could prevent Democrats from forfeiting a winnable seat. He had been urged by party leaders—including former state Sen. Wendy Davis—to contest a newly created, Republican-leaning R+10 district instead of challenging Casar in a primary. The decision spares the party a potentially bruising intramural fight and effectively secures Casar’s path to reelection. Doggett’s retirement will end the tenure of the longest-serving Texas Democrat in the House when his current term concludes in January 2027.