Texas Sen. Jane Nelson Will Not Seek Re-Election in 2022 After 10th Term

Longtime Texas Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) announced Monday she would not seek re-election in 2022, marking an end to nearly three decades in the Senate.

“It has been a great honor to represent our community in the Texas Senate," Nelson said in a statement. "I promised to listen, work hard, and deliver results and have strived to fulfill that pledge. Our accomplishments have improved the lives of Texans, which makes me proud."

The longest-serving Senate Republican, Nelson, 69, is currently in her 10th term representing Senate District 12, which includes parts of northeast Tarrant County and southern Denton County.

"As this chapter closes, you can count on me to keep working to build a better Texas," Nelson said.

In 2014, Nelson was appointed chair of the Senate Finance Committee, where she was the first woman to lead a budget-writing committee in Texas Legislature history and the top budget-writer in the Senate for four sessions.

In a statement Monday, Lt. Gov Dan Patrick (R) called Nelson "the finest Finance Chair in Texas history."

"It is hard to overestimate the positive impact of Jane’s service to the state of Texas and I know Texans are grateful," Patrick said. "She will be missed by me and the 30 other Senators on so many levels. She was a mentor to me and made me a better Senator and Lt. Governor. She is my friend."

He also said he asked Nelson to stay in her current role through the end of 2021. Nelson's term is set to end in January 2023.

Nelson was only the third Republican woman ever elected to the Senate and became the first to head a standing Senate committee in 1998 when former Gov. Rick Perry named her chair of the Senate Health Committee.

Before being elected to serve her first term in 1992, Nelson taught in Arlington elementary schools for six years and served on the State Board of Education for four years in two terms.