State Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, the longest-serving member of the Texas Panhandle delegation, announced Friday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, ending a 40-year career that began in 1985.

Smithee, 74, represents House District 86, covering Armstrong, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Hartley, Oldham, Parmer and Randall counties — a vast, rural expanse where agriculture and wind energy dominate and constituents value steady, conservative leadership. He is the second-longest-serving member of the Texas House behind only Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland.

“After long and prayerful consideration, Becky and I have decided that I will not seek reelection to the Texas House of Representatives after more than four decades of service,” Smithee said in a statement released from his Amarillo law office.

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