With just a week left before the filing deadline, State Rep. Gary VanDeaver has announced he will not seek re-election—leaving the Texas House after a session that saw him clash with the governor and get formally censured by his own party.
VanDeaver, first elected in 2014, said his decision came after “prayerful consideration and discussion with family and close friends,” and he pledged to continue serving through January 2027.
The East Texas Republican was one of only two Republican House members to vote against school choice legislation championed by Gov. Greg Abbott—the other being former Speaker Dade Phelan, who has also recently announced he won’t be returning.
After voting against school choice in the 2023 session, VanDeaver was forced into a primary runoff after Abbott endorsed one of his opponents, Chris Spencer, though he ultimately survived the challenge.
Spencer is running again for the seat.
VanDeaver was one of five lawmakers censured by the Republican Party of Texas in October for violating core principles of the party, including his opposition to school choice. While the censure allowed the party to actively oppose his campaign, the State Republican Executive Committee stopped short of triggering the full “ballot ban,” which would have barred him from running in the GOP primary.
In his announcement letter, VanDeaver wrote, “While much of my work over the past decade has been with a focus on making Texas better, I have always tried to view that work through the lens of ensuring rural Texas, and especially our little corner here in Northeast Texas, is positioned for the brightest future possible.”
The filing deadline for candidates is December 8.
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