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2026 Texas Elections

Rep. Ray Lopez of San Antonio will not seek reelection to Texas House

The San Antonio Democrat was first elected to the Legislature in 2019.

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State Rep. Ray Lopez, D-San Antonio, followed by Rep. John Bryant, D-Dallas, gets off a charter bus from the Austin airport outside the State Archives building on the east side of the Texas Capitol upon their return to Austin following a two-week quorum break, on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025.
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune

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State Rep. Ray Lopez, a San Antonio Democrat, will not seek reelection to a fifth term in the Legislature’s lower chamber.

Lopez, who was elected to the state house in 2019, previously served on the San Antonio City Council. He said he will support his chief of staff, Donovon Rodriguez, who intends to pursue the open seat, though he acknowledged it “will be a crowded race.”

Lopez’s House District 125 covers parts of west and northwest San Antonio and Bexar County. The district is likely to remain in Democratic hands, having voted 57% for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Lopez’s retirement is the latest shakeup in the Capitol following this year’s legislative session. State Reps. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, and Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, also will not seek rerelection. In the upper chamber, Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, has also announced his retirement at the end of his term — and Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin, launched a campaign to try to succeed Nichols.

More all-star speakers confirmed for The Texas Tribune Festival, Nov. 13–15! This year’s lineup just got even more exciting with the addition of State Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo; former United States Attorney General Eric Holder; Abby Phillip, anchor of “CNN NewsNight”; Aaron Reitz, 2026 Republican candidate for Texas Attorney General; and State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin. Get your tickets today!

TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.

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Politics Ray Lopez Texas House of Representatives