Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX), the chairman of the House Budget Committee, announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026.
Arrington, who has served in the House since 2017, made the announcement in an interview published by Fox News on Tuesday.
“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,” he told the outlet.
The fiscal conservative also announced his retirement in a video published by Punchbowl News.
Arrington’s decision to leave Congress by the end of next year comes in spite of President Donald Trump’s glowing endorsement earlier this month.
“As the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, Jodey knows the America First Policies required to Create GREAT Jobs, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, and Champion our Nation’s Golden Age,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “He is also fighting tirelessly to Keep our now very Secure Border, SECURE, Strengthen our Military/Veterans, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.”
Arrington played a key role in creating Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act to cut taxes for overtime pay and tips, among many other goals. With the time he has left in Congress, the Texas Republican hopes to spearhead another budget reconciliation bill to follow the GOP megabill.
“I don’t know where the Senate Republicans are,” he said. “I don’t know where the president is and can’t speak for the White House. But the House is at the ready. It’s been our most consequential tool to support the president and the strength of the country, and I don’t see any reason we wouldn’t utilize it to its fullest extent.”
Arrington represents Texas’s 19th Congressional District. The district leans Republican, so it is unlikely to be flipped blue in the 2026 midterm elections.
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In 2024, the incumbent decisively won reelection with nearly 81% of the vote in his district.
Arrington said he has not “given much thought” to his time after Congress, but revealed he may seek a “new leadership challenge.” In the meantime, he plans on spending more time with his family.