Texas Rep. Pete Olson, who was first elected in 2008, said he was leaving the seat to spend more time with his family. | Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo 2020 elections GOP Rep. Pete Olson of Texas won't seek reelection in 2020

Rep. Pete Olson (R-Texas) announced Thursday that he won't seek reelection in 2020, opening up a potential battleground district in the Houston suburbs.

Olson, who was first elected in 2008, said he was leaving the seat to spend more time with his family.


"As someone who has long advocated for policies that put our families first, it’s time for me to take my own advice and be a more consistent presence to help our family," he said. "To that end, while I will complete my term in the 116th Congress, I will not be seeking reelection."

While the district has been solidly Republican for decades and was once represented by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Democrats have made inroads in recent years, and the race could shape up to be one of the most competitive House battles in the country next year.

President Donald Trump won 52 percent of the district in 2016, down from Mitt Romney's 62 percent four years earlier. Olson defeated Democrat Sri Kulkarni in 2018, 51 percent to 46 percent — down from Olson's 19-point victory two years earlier.

Kulkarni is running again and had $345,000 in cash on hand as of June 30.

On the Republican side, Troy Nehls, the outgoing sheriff of Fort Bend County, was reportedly exploring a campaign, even before Olson's announcement.

National Republicans pledged to keep the seat, with Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, saying in a statement moments after Olson’s retirement that it “will remain a Republican district for the foreseeable future.”

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The House Democrats' campaign arm was quick to seize on Olson's retirement announcement, which they said will help boost their chances of flipping the seat in 2020. Olson was on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "GOP retirement watch list."

"Republicans across Texas are terrified of losing their seats in 2020 and we can’t blame Pete Olson for choosing to retire instead of being thrown out of office next year," said DCCC spokesperson Avery Jaffe in a statement. "One of the most diverse districts on the battlefield, Democrats can win this open seat and we look forward to Congressman Olson spending his golden years deep in the heart of Texas.”

The DCCC, which picked up two Texas House seats in 2018 and came close to winning a number of other races, set up shop in the Lone Star state earlier this year. Democrats are planning to make Texas a major House battleground in 2020 — and some Republicans are already starting to feel the pressure.

Olson, 56, is the second House Republican to announce his retirement this week. Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-Mich.), a member of GOP leadership, also announced he would not seek reelection, citing family reasons as well as the "vitriol" in politics.

Olson, who serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and co-chairs the Congressional Refinery Caucus, earned his law degree from the University of Texas in 1988. On the day he completed the Texas bar examination, Olson enlisted in the United States Navy and went on to serve in the Gulf War.

Steven Shepard contributed to this report.