Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) suggested Tuesday he could run for reelection again, after announcing plans to retire earlier this year if Republicans were successful in efforts to redraw his Texas district.
“To borrow from Mark Twain, the reports of my death, politically, are greatly exaggerated,” Doggett said in a video posted to X.
The Texas Democrat said a recent court ruling blocking the political maps that were signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) over the summer was responsible for his political resurrection. The state is appealing the decision to the Supreme Court.
“A U.S. district court order means that I have a renewed opportunity to continue serving the only town I have ever called home, as democracy faces greater challenges than at any point in my lifetime,” Doggett said. “While this decision, led by a [President Donald] Trump-appointed judge, will be appealed, I am hopeful about the final outcome to stop this illegal, racial gerrymander.”
Doggett had previously indicated he would retire back in August, when state Republicans won their battle to pass a map that merged Rep. Greg Casar’s (D-TX) and Doggett’s districts. Facing a likely primary challenge from Casar, Doggett said he would step aside, explaining, “I prefer to devote the coming months to fighting Trump tyranny and serving Austin rather than waging a struggle with fellow Democrats.”
While Doggett sounded an optimistic note this week, his future remains uncertain.
DOJ CHALLENGES CALIFORNIA’S PROP 50 MAP IN ESCALATING FIGHT OVER HOUSE MAJORITY
Texas is taking the redistricting case to the Supreme Court, after a federal judge ruled Tuesday that the new political maps were an unlawful racial gerrymander.
“Any claim that these maps are discriminatory is absurd and unsupported by the testimony offered during ten days of hearings,” Abbott said in a statement. “This ruling is clearly erroneous and undermines the authority the U.S. Constitution assigns to the Texas Legislature by imposing a different map by judicial edict.”