LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – House Budget Committee Chairman and Lubbock Representative Jodey Arrington announced he will not seek re-election next year. He has served West Texas in the House of Representatives for nearly 10 years.
“You know, a decade is long enough,” Arrington said.
The District 19 representative said he is at peace with his decision to step away from Capitol Hill.
“There was just this still voice in my heart and in my time with God that I just knew,” Arrington said.
Arrington headed to Capitol Hill in January 2017, first serving on the Agriculture, Budget and Veterans’ Affairs committees. He worked to support farmers, advancing legislation to add cotton as a covered commodity in the 2018 Farm Bill.
“I really believe in my heart of hearts that we left this in a good spot. We fought hard. We served well. We delivered for West Texas,” Arrington said.
The congressman has frequently described the region as providing “food, fuel and fiber” for the nation. He said West Texas values drove his efforts in Congress.
“I didn’t take the bait. And I didn’t engage in personal attacks. And I didn’t question people’s motives. I simply said, we have a difference on how to solve these problems,” Arrington said. “We both agree mostly on the problems that need to be solved. And the better that we can do for the public and our citizens, I just have a different way to solve it. And it’s mostly about empowering people as opposed to government.”
A constant battle cry for Arrington has been to “reverse the curse” of the nation’s debt. He landed a leadership role when Speaker Mike Johnson appointed him chairman of the House Budget Committee. He called it the highest privilege to author President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
“I will never stop beating that drum and sounding that alarm, because we are bankrupting our children’s future. We are sleepwalking off a fiscal cliff that will cause catastrophic results for this country and our future,” Arrington said.
As an advocate for term limits, Arrington said it’s time for him to live under the laws he’s helped pass. He cited his family as a factor in his decision.
“It’s time for me to do more for her and to be more in my kids’ lives,” Arrington said, referring to his wife.
Arrington has one more year remaining in his current term and said he remains focused on his legislative priorities.
“Restore freedom, restore rule of law, restore common sense, and restore power back to we the people and not Washington. And I haven’t taken my foot off the pedal yet, and I don’t plan on it,” Arrington said.
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