WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Bill Flores announced Wednesday he won’t run for a sixth term in Congress, joining four other Texas Republicans set to retire rather than seek re-election in 2020.

Flores, who easily won his Bryan-College Station district in 2018, said in a statement he never planned to serve more than six terms. He said his job in Congress — where Flores says he “spent hundreds of nights away from home and generally worked 12-18 hours per day, six days per week” — made it too hard to spend time with his family.

For subscribers: Congressional ‘Texodus’ started in late July

Flores follows several other Texas Republicans who have called it quits in recent weeks. Democrats hope to flip some of those seats — including those held by outgoing U.S. Reps. Pete Olson and Will Hurd — but Flores’ district, which he won by 15 percentage points, so far hasn’t been on their list of national targets.

Flores said in a statement he plans to return to the private sector after leaving Congress, but will stay politically active on a federal, state and local level.

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"Even though my current term will be my final in Congress, I will continue working with a sense of urgency and diligence over the next 16 months to continue fulfilling my original campaign promises to the good folks in TX-17 to restore Liberty, Opportunity, and Security for hardworking Texas families who were left behind due to the disastrous policies of the Obama administration,” Flores said in a statement.

Also retiring at the end of 2020 are eight-term Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Coppell, Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Midland, Rep. Will Hurd, R-San Antonio, and Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land.

The 36-member Texas delegation to the House of Representatives is currently made up of 23 Republicans and 13 Democrats.

ben.wermund@chron.com