Politics & Government

Denton-area U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess will not run for Congress in 2024 election

U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess is not seeking reelection.
U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess is not seeking reelection. Star-Telegram

U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, a doctor and North Texas Republican, announced Monday that he will not seek reelection to his Denton area seat.

Burgess has represented Congressional District 26 since 2003. His district includes Cooke County and much of Denton and Wise counties. It also includes a small part of Tarrant County.

“It has been the honor of my life to have gone from a small-town doctor delivering babies, with no prior political experience, to elected to represent my friends and neighbors in the United States Congress,” Burgess said.

Burgess plans to serve the remainder of his term, which ends in January 2025. He’s a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, House Rules Committee and the House Budget Committee.

His announcement comes just weeks after Fort Worth Republican Rep. Kay Granger announced she wouldn’t seek reelection in 2024. Granger has represented Congressional District 12 for nearly three decades.

Candidate filing in Texas began on Saturday and runs through Dec. 11.

The Texas Republican Party’s website does not show anyone having filed for Burgess’ seat shortly after 3 p.m. Monday. A Texas Democratic Party spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment. The Texas Secretary of State Office website did not list a candidate in either primary.

This story was originally published November 13, 2023 at 3:24 PM.

Eleanor Dearman
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She’s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years. Support my work with a digital subscription
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