Rep. Jody Arrington says he will not seek re-election, reflects on term limits, fiscal priorities and rural America

Congressman Jody Arrington told a radio host that he is not seeking re-election after about a decade in Congress and described his approach to public service, term limits and fiscal priorities.

Arrington said he would "ride off into the big, beautiful sunset of West Texas" and framed public office as temporary stewardship rather than a lifetime career. "I feel really good about leaving it right here," he said, describing his belief in term limits and noting he chaired a term-limit caucus and introduced bipartisan term-limit legislation with Rep. Ro Khanna.

He described several policy achievements he said defined his tenure: defense spending to "rebuild the military," tax cuts for working families and claimed historically large spending reductions. On fiscal risk, Arrington said the national debt is "the biggest concern of mine," calling it "the biggest threat to our future and to our economy and national security." He referenced a multitrillion-dollar figure when discussing tax and budget legislation.

Asked about his district, Arrington described Lubbock and surrounding West Texas as "heavily Republican" and said he would miss the people and their values — "freedom, family, faith" — which he said underpin rural America's contribution as the nation's "breadbasket" and "energy basin." He emphasized constituents' roles in food security and energy independence and invoked his faith as guiding his conduct in Washington: "not ascribe motive, ... not personally attack people," he said.

Arrington used the interview to outline personal rationale for leaving elective office and to reiterate priorities he said he pursued while in Congress: fiscal restraint, institutional reforms and civil, faith-guided engagement with colleagues across the aisle. The interview concluded with mutual thanks and no new announcements about timing or successor plans.

Arrington did not announce a campaign timeline or formal transitional steps on air; he did not name potential successors.