Tracy King, a South Texas Democrat representing the Uvalde area, has announced his retirement from the Texas House of Representatives.
Rep. King served 14 legislative sessions, beginning in 1994. James Barragán, political reporter with the Texas Tribune, notes several issues may factored into King’s decision, including the Uvalde families’ unsuccessful push for gun legislation.
King’s House District 80 had also undergone changes during redistricting, becoming more challenging for Democratic candidates. Although King did not explicitly mention these factors, Barragán says “if there were to be [a Republican challenger], it would be a lot more competitive.”
For more stories from the week in Texas politics, including Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest fundraising haul and the governor’s second appointment of an interim Attorney General in as many months, listen to the interview in the audio player above.
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