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Rep. Lloyd Doggett , the dean of Texas’ congressional delegation, announced Thursday he would not run for reelection to his Austin-based seat if a new Republican-drawn map is in effect for the 2026 midterms.

Doggett, 78, has represented his hometown of Austin for over 50 years, in both the Legislature and Congress. First elected to Congress in 1994 — the last year Democrats won a statewide race in Texas — he survived numerous Republican redistricting efforts throughout his tenure as the number of Texas Democrats in Congress dwindled.

In announcing his decision, Doggett is ceding his newly drawn 37th Congressional District, a deep-blue district that encompasses

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