State Rep. Jim Murphy, chair of House GOP Caucus, won’t seek reelection

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State Rep. Jim Murphy, R-Houston, announced Thursday he will not seek another term to the Texas House.

Murphy, who represented House District 133 from 2007-09 and again since 2011, chairs the House GOP Caucus and the House Higher Education Committee.

He announced in June his intention to seek reelection, saying in a news release that while the Legislature "accomplished a lot" during the regular legislative session that ended in May, "unfinished business still remains."

On Thursday, though, Murphy said he is "just looking forward to life's next great opportunity" and that it had been "an honor and privilege" to serve the constituents of HD-133.

Murphy's departure marks the 10th open House seat heading into the 2022 election cycle; two other seats are vacant but will be filled during special elections before the 2022 elections.

On Wednesday, state Rep. Chris Paddie, a Marshall Republican who chairs the powerful House State Affairs Committee, also announced he would not seek reelection after previously saying he planned to run for another term.

The retirement announcements have happened as the Legislature readies to redraw the state's congressional, state House and Senate, and State Board of education maps.

Lawmakers formally kicked off that process Monday as the third special session convened. They will have 30 days to tackle that redistricting process along with over items set by Gov. Greg Abbott, though the governor can order lawmakers back to the Legislature for more overtime rounds should he wish to do so.

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