Another lawmaker has announced they will not seek re-election. Just days after Democrat Rep. Nancy Pelosi announced she will not seek re-election in 2027, Republican Congressman Jodey Arrington of Texas has announced he will also not seek re-election. Arrington who is the chairman of the House Budget Committee announced he will not seek re-election because he believes lawmakers should not make a career out of being a lawmaker. Fox News reported more in-depth on Arrington’s surprising decision to step away from Capitol Hill: House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, will not seek re-election in 2026. The senior Republican lawmaker will have finished serving a decade in Congress when he leaves at the end of next year. “I have a firm conviction, much like our founders did, that public service is a lifetime commitment, but public office is and should be a temporary stint in stewardship, not a career,” Arrington said. And the conservative Texan told Fox News Digital he felt he was leaving on a high note, having played a key role in crafting President Donald Trump’s big, beautiful bill. “It was a very unique, generational impact opportunity, to be almost ten years into this and to have the budget chairmanship, and to lead the charge to successfully pass that and to help this president fulfill his mandate from the people,” Arrington said. “It just seems like a good and right place to leave it.” He cited multiple legislative items across his tenure as Budget Committee chair when asked what he took pride in, but added, “It’s more of changing the narrative and the culture in Congress and in my party that I’m most proud of.” “I’m from a rural district and I can tell you, raising the profile among urban and suburban members as to the unique challenges of rural America and the unique contributions of rural America — like food security and energy independence and how much the nation depends on these plow boys and cowboys in rural areas — that’s another thing I’m proud of,” he said. God Bless and Go West Texas! pic.twitter.com/YLI7gAvY0l — Jodey Arrington (@JodeyArrington) November 11, 2025 USA Today reported the field is open for Arrington’s soon to be open seat: Arrington’s decision not to seek re-election leaves a wide open field for the Republican primary for the U.S. House 19 seat ahead of the March 3 primary. The registration period opened Saturday, Nov. 9. Lubbock Democrat Kyle Rable already announced he registered to run in the Democratic primary for the seat, filing for the race on Saturday, Nov. 9. Arrington and his office were not immediately available for further comment, but his statement elaborated on his accomplishments reflected on his time in office.