U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Austin) will run for Texas lawyer normal in 2026 as an alternative of searching for reelection, organising an open race in his deep pink congressional district.
Texas’ 21 Congressional District consists of a lot of the ruby pink Hill Nation, however stretches east from Fredericksburg, reaching over into San Antonio’s North Facet.
As soon as a political battleground, it was redrawn right into a Republican stronghold after the 2020 census, and would stay overwhelmingly pink underneath the brand new congressional maps anticipated to take impact in 2026.
Beneath new boundaries, it might have given President Donald Trump 60.2% of its vote in 2024 — just like the way it carried out underneath the present strains.
Roy, 53, is a frontrunner within the conservative Home Freedom Caucus who has represented the district since 2019.
“It has been my honor to symbolize the twenty first Congressional District of Texas — one of the best a part of one of the best state within the biggest nation within the historical past of the world,” Roy mentioned in a press release Thursday.
“However representatives shouldn’t be everlasting, and my expertise watching Texans unite in response to the devastating Hill Nation floods made clear that I wish to come dwelling,” he continued. “I wish to take my expertise in Congress, as a federal prosecutor, and as First Assistant Legal professional Common to struggle for Texas from Texas.”
Present Legal professional Common Ken Paxton, a Republican, isn’t operating for reelection in 2026 as a result of he’s as an alternative difficult U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) within the GOP major.
Roy joins a crowded GOP major race to switch him.
Likewise, his congressional seat may even draw a protracted checklist of Republicans. The district’s open GOP major in 2018 drew 18 candidates.
Democrats, however, say it probably stays out of attain.
On Thursday, the Texas Majority PAC — a brilliant PAC geared toward turning Texas blue — laid out Democrats’ plans to compete throughout a reshaped congressional map that has modified the social gathering’s prime targets for 2026.
PAC director Katherine Fischer mentioned Democrats ought to recruit a superb candidate for the open race, however Texas’ twenty first is just not “significantly winnable this cycle.”
“Northern San Antonio is extra white and conservative than different elements [of the city],” Fischer mentioned. “So it’s a troublesome district.”
Roy’s choice means formidable San Antonio politicos will probably have two open congressional seats to compete for in 2026.Texas’ thirty fifth Congressional District is being redrawn to cup town’s Southeast Facet — far-off from incumbent U.S. Rep. Greg Casar’s (D-Austin) dwelling.
Casar is anticipated to hunt a extra Austin-centric district as an alternative, creating a gap each events will struggle over.
On Thursday, San Antonio Councilman Marc Whyte (D10) instructed the Report that he’s been strategy in regards to the new congressional openings and would take into account both TX21 or the brand new TX35 — although he lives in TX21.
