Influential House Republican Announces He's Walking Away from Office at Age 53

A key conservative voice in the House is stepping aside after nearly a decade of service.

Texas Republican Rep. Jodey Arrington, who currently chairs the House Budget Committee, announced that he will not seek reelection at the end of his term — capping a tenure marked by his fiscal discipline, defense of rural America, and close partnership with President Donald J. Trump.

Arrington, 53, told Fox News that his decision was guided by principle rather than politics.

“I have a firm conviction, much like our founders did, that public service is a lifetime commitment, but public office is and should be a temporary stint in stewardship, not a career,” Arrington said.

Elected in 2016, Arrington rose quickly through the ranks of House leadership, becoming a driving force behind President Trump’s fiscal agenda — including what he called a career-defining moment: passage of Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill.”

“It was a very unique, generational impact opportunity, to be almost ten years into this and to have the budget chairmanship, and to lead the charge to successfully pass that and to help this president fulfill his mandate from the people,” Arrington explained. “It just seems like a good and right place to leave it.”

The Texas conservative said one of his proudest accomplishments was raising awareness in Washington about the vital role of rural America, from food security to energy independence.

“I’m from a rural district, and I can tell you, raising the profile among urban and suburban members as to the unique challenges of rural America and the unique contributions of rural America — like food security and energy independence and how much the nation depends on these plow boys and cowboys in rural areas — that’s another thing I’m proud of,” he said.

Arrington said he remains confident that President Trump and fellow Republicans will continue the push to rein in Washington’s reckless spending.

“The president’s committed to it, he talks about it all the time. He’s actually doing something about it with very difficult decisions, not politically popular decisions. This is all about political will,” Arrington noted.

“Trump’s doing it. Mike Johnson is committed to it … And we have a growing number of fiscal hawks who are absolutely dogged on this issue.”

Before leaving office, Arrington hopes to secure one last conservative win by passing a budget reconciliation bill to complement Trump’s sweeping fiscal package.

“I don’t know where the Senate Republicans are. I don’t know where the president is and can’t speak for the White House. But the House is at the ready,” Arrington said. “It’s been our most consequential tool to support the president and the strength of the country, and I don’t see any reason we wouldn’t utilize it to its fullest extent.”

After leaving Congress, Arrington said he plans to refocus on family, faith, and service at home.

“My next goal is quality time with my wife and kids and focusing on my leadership and service, not in the people’s house, but in my own house,” he said.

In reflecting on his journey, Arrington credited God’s grace and the support of those around him.

“I’m thankful that God called me and gave me the grace to succeed and to achieve the things that we’ve achieved,” Arrington said.

“His grace looks like the members of Congress that I’ve been doing battle with, my budget hawks who I’ve been in the trenches with, my constituents who I run into in the grocery store, who want to pray with me right there in the aisle while I’m checking out. The grace of God looks like my wife being both mom and dad about two-thirds of the time, because I’m in Washington doing battle for the country.”

“Did I make my share of mistakes? You bet. Did I learn along the way? You bet I did. But we left [the country] better than we found it, and it gives me great satisfaction.”