Longtime GOP Rep. Lamar Smith Announces Retirement

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) will not seek re-election to the House of Representatives in 2018, he wrote in an email obtained by the Texas Tribune. “For several reasons, this seems like a good time to pass on the privilege of representing the 21st District to someone else,” Smith wrote. “At the end of this Congress, I will have completed my six-year term as chairman of the Science, Space and Technology Committee. I have one new grandchild and a second arriving soon! And I hope to find other ways to stay involved in politics.” Smith, 69, has served in Congress since 1987, representing the San Antonio area of Texas. He has served as the chairman of the judiciary and ethics committees during his tenure.