One Wichita County state senator will not seek re-election

A Texas state senator who represents a portion of Wichita County will not run for re-election in 2024.

Drew Springer, R-Muenster, has announced he'll bow out of the senate race to run a family business. His announcement came Tuesday and suprised some Republican leaders.

Earlier this year, Springer voted against the articles of impeachment against Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was accused of misusing the powers of his office. But Springer expressed some concerns about Paxton, which made him a target of the attorney general's allies.

“It probably is the hardest vote we’ve ever had to cast,” Springer told the Gainesville Daily Register at the time.

His announcement came just days before the official filing period begins Nov. 11. Fifteen of Texas' 31 senate seats are up for election in November 2024.

Carrie de Moor, a Frisco emergency room physician who said she is a Christian, conservative Republican, has announced she'll run for the seat.

On a Facebook posting prior to Springer's annoucement, de Moor said voters would have a choice "between a consistent conservative who will fight for our values or a career politician who has been a close ally of liberal Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan," a reference to Springer.

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Texas Congressman Pat Fallon, who once held the 30th District Seat, also expressed interest in the race.

Springer has said he “always strived to be a steadfast conservative, earning a reputation as a top-ranked conservative during every session.”

James Frank, Republican state representative from Wichita Falls, said he has had inquires about his running for the senate seat.

"While I truly appreciate the thought, I have no desire to run for that position..." he said. "I assure you that I will do everything in my power to make sure we have a new senator who understands, appreciates and serves this area well."

The 30th District was once firmly in the hands of Wichita Falls senators, but redistricting gradually stretched its boundaries toward the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, shifting the bulk of the voting population to that area.

The last Wichitan to hold the post was Sen. Craig Estes, who lost the Republican nomination to a candidate from Denton in 2018.

The district once included all of Wichita County, but redistricting after the 2020 census count split it, with the 30th keeping only the eastern portion that includes Wichita Falls while the 28th District represented by Charles Perry of Lubbock comprises the bulk of the county.

Prior to becoming a senator, Springer was a state representative for the 68th District, which consisted of counties near Wichita County.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: One Wichita County state senator will not seek re-election