Texas Democrat speeding up departure from Congress

Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Texas) is speeding up his departure from Congress, with plans to resign from office in the coming weeks instead of waiting for his term to expire early next year.

The Texas Democrat is leaving the lower chamber to take a position at Akin Gump, a law and lobbying firm headquartered in Washington, D.C., according to Punchbowl News and The Texas Tribune.

Vela announced in March 2021 that he would not run for reelection in the next midterm cycle. A spokesperson for the representative told The Hill at the time that he would retire from Congress at the end of the current session.

Vela has served in the House since 2013 and won reelection by a comfortable margin in 2020, besting his Republican challenger by almost 14 points.

News of Vela’s early departure sets the scene for a special election to find his replacement in the Lone Star State’s 34th Congressional District, according to The Texas Tribune. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), a friend of Vela’s, announced that he would run for the seat as the state’s redistricting process was underway.

A new congressional map for Texas approved by state Republicans made Gonzalez’s 15th congressional district much more competitive.

News of Vela’s expedited timeline also comes after his bill aiming to adjust the boundary of the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park passed through the House. The legislation also calls for authorizing the donation of land to the U.S. for the addition to the park.

Vela reportedly wants to see the bill pass through the Senate before departing the House, according to Punchbowl News.

The Texas Democrat made headlines in 2016 when he told former President Trump, then a presidential candidate, to “take your border wall and shove it up your ass” in an open letter. He also called Trump a racist.

Vela is one of 31 House Democrats not seeking reelection in November, compared to only 14 House Republicans who are bowing out of another race. The GOP needs to flip five seats to take control of the lower chamber.

The Hill reached out to Vela for more information.