DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - The only African American Republican in congress says he won't run in 2020.
Will Hurd has represented the state's sprawling 23rd congressional district, which from El Paso to San Antonio, hundreds of miles along the border, since 2015.
SMU political scientist Cal Jillson says Hurd has spoken out when he needs to separate from President Trump on border issues. "But also just on conduct issues. I think Will Hurd is probably just tired of having to make those decisions about what to say every day about what the president has done."
Hurd's district is mostly comprised of Hispanics. Jillson says the chances a Democrat takes the district in 2020.
Jillson says as the Democratic party in Texas was losing its hold thirty to forty years ago, there were a number of Democrats that switched to the Republican party. He says we could see the opposite happen as the Democratic party in the Lone Star State gains strength. "It will be very interesting to see whether or not Republicans shift to the Democratic party, and Will Hurd might have been one of those."
Texas Republicans Michael Conoway of Midland and Pete Olson of Sugar Land have also said they're not running. "Nationwide, this is about nine Republicans who have decided to hang it up. There will be more. Last time around the number got up to about three dozen."
Hurd, a former CIA undercover officer, says he wants to work in the private sector to solve problems at what he calls the nexus of technology and national security
