6 days ago
Tarrant County Republican won't seek reelection to TX House; mayor bids for seat
Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, a Southlake Republican, is not seeking reelection to the Texas House.
Capriglione was first elected to House District 98 in 2012. The district falls within Tarrant County and includes Colleyville, Grapevine, Westlake and parts of Euless, Flower Mound, Southlake and Trophy Club.
'This has not been an easy decision,' Capriglione said in the post. 'Serving you in the Texas Legislature has been one of the great honors of my life. When I first ran, I had a clear purpose: go down to Austin, work hard, and fight for the principles and values that make Texas strong. Over the years, I've done exactly that. And while I've given this work everything I have, I also feel in my heart that I've accomplished what I set out to do. It's time for a new chapter.'
Capriglione said he'll finish out the remainder of his term, which ends in January. He serves as chair of the Delivery of Government Efficiency (DOGE) committee, on the Ways and Means Committee and on the House Subcommittee on Property Tax Appraisals.
He chairs the House Innovation and Technology Caucus, and is the owner and president of Texas Adventure Capital LLC.
'This has been a journey of faith, service, and relentless effort,' Capriglione said in the post. 'I don't yet know what the future holds, but I trust that God is still writing my story. For now, I look forward to spending more time with my family, returning to life back home, and continuing to serve in whatever way I can, just not in this same role.'
Soon after his announcement, Keller Mayor Armin Mizani announced he was running for House District 98. He had previously announced a bid for Senate District 9, but is no longer running for the seat in a coming special election, his campaign confirmed.
His announcement came with a slew of endorsements from Tarrant County area elected officials.
'We've received a groundswell of support and encouragement to run for this seat,' Mizani said. 'And while we may be pursuing a different office to serve our communities, our purpose remains the same: to ensure our communities have an unapologetic conservative champion representing us in Austin — someone focused on keeping Texas the best place to live, work, and raise a family.'
A Nov. 4 special election is being held for the Senate seat that was vacated by Sen. Kelly Hancock, who's now the acting Texas Comptroller.
Republicans Leigh Wambsganss and John Huffman, the former mayor of Southlake, as well as Democrat Taylor Rehmet are seeking the Senate seat, which covers much of Northeast Tarrant County including North Richland Hills, Keller and White Settlement.
In addition to Hancock and Capriglione's exits, Rep. Tony Tinderholt, an Arlington Republican, has said he won't seek reelection, instead running for Tarrant County Commissioner, precinct 2.
Sen. Brian Birdwell, a Granbury Republican, isn't seeking reelection to Senate District 22, and Rep. David Cook, a Mansfield Republican, is seeking his Senate seat.
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