After years of watching Washington chew people up and spit them out, it’s refreshing to see someone walk away on their own terms for once. Rep. Troy Nehls stepping away from Congress feels like one of those moments where you’re proud of the man, grateful for the service, and slightly annoyed that Washington is losing one of the few people who didn’t treat the job like a lifetime appointment. Nehls has been a rock solid Trump ally from the moment he hit Capitol Hill, and he’s been even more solid for his district. But after more than 30 years in uniform plus six years in Congress, he says it’s time to go home, focus on his family, and maybe get a few nights of sleep without a congressional vote schedule breathing down his neck.
He broke the news in a Saturday press release, saying he made the decision after talking it over with his wife and daughters over Thanksgiving. That alone tells you the man still has his priorities straight. Before he announced anything publicly, he did what any loyal ally would do, he called President Trump personally. Nehls said Trump has been a true friend to the district, and he wanted him to hear the retirement plans directly. That’s how real allies act.
But Texas politics is never boring, and this story gets a Texas-sized twist. Instead of handing the district off to some lobbyist-approved placeholder, Nehls endorsed someone he knows better than anyone on Earth, his identical twin brother Trever. And honestly, that’s about as perfect as it gets. Washington may lose a Rep. Nehls, but TX-22 might not miss a beat because another Rep. Nehls is waiting in the wings.
Trever wasted no time announcing his candidacy. In his statement, he praised his brother’s decades of service and made one thing crystal clear, he plans to stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump and continue the America First agenda Troy championed. He talked about securing the border, protecting families and fighting back against the Democrats’ nonstop attempt to turn the country inside out. In other words, the district isn’t getting a downgrade. They’re getting a second round.
Texas’ 22nd Congressional District is a solid R+9 seat, meaning Democrats will throw money at it anyway just to set it on fire, but the odds overwhelmingly favor a conservative holding it. And Trever Nehls clearly intends to be that conservative.
Troy Nehls leaves Congress with his integrity intact, which is more than most can say. And if Trever follows in his footsteps, TX-22 won’t just keep a fighter, it’ll keep a family legacy grounded in service, law enforcement, patriotism and loyalty to President Trump.
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