Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, first Texas DOGE chair, will not seek reelection

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State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, the Southlake Republican who championed tech-oriented bills, announced his retirement from the Texas House on Tuesday, the latest in a slew of legislative shakeups ahead of the 2026 elections.

Capriglione, who said in June he would seek reelection for the District 98 seat, reversed that decision in a statement posted on social media and his campaign website. He said he would serve out the remainder of his seventh term but did not indicate what he will pursue after office.

“When I first ran, I had a clear purpose: go down to Austin, work hard, and fight for the principles and values that make Texas strong,” Capriglione said. “And while I’ve given this work everything I have, I also feel in my heart that I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. It’s time for a new chapter.”

Capriglione is the chair of both the Delivery of Government Efficiency Committee that was established earlier in the year. Capriglione’s focus on technology through his time in the Legislature was highlighted by his spot as chair of the state’s Innovation and Technology Caucus; authoring Texas’ Data Privacy and Security Act in 2023; and helping the establishment of a Texas Cyber Command, one of Gov. Greg Abbott’s 2025 emergency priorities, through the DOGE Committee as House Bill 150’s author.

Keller Mayor Armin Mizani announced on Wednesday that he would be running to succeed Capriglione and alongside a list of endorsements, including some of the lower chamber’s far-right representatives. Mizani’s move comes a little over two weeks after he said he would run for state Senate District 9, which was recently vacated by Kelly Hancock, who is now the acting Texas comptroller.

Mizani’s bid for the seat is not his first time running for the seat: Capriglione previously beat Mizani with 63% of the vote in a 2018 primary.

Capriglione’s exit is the latest in a series of moves from state lawmakers shifting seats, with many seeking other offices. In addition to Hancock’s resignation from the state Senate, Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, announced on the last day of the regular session that he would retire and is now running for a Tarrant County Commissioner seat. Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, also said he would not seek reelection, which was quickly followed by Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin, who stated he would seek the seat.

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