Texas State Senator Kel Seliger won't seek re-election

Longtime local state legislator Kel Seliger, R-District 31, announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection.

"It has been a great honor to represent the people, schools and businesses of #SD31 for the past 17 years in the Texas Legislature. After thoughtful consideration and with the reassurance of my family, I have decided not to seek reelection to the Texas Senate," Seliger posted to his social media page.

Seliger is most known for his support of local control, public education, higher education, sexual assault awareness and prevention and battling human trafficking, according to a news release from his office.

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He authored hundreds of pieces of legislation, most notably Senate Bill 463 creating Individual Graduation Committees and Senate Bill 150, providing capital construction projects at every higher education institution in the state, the release states. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in the reworking of testing regimens in public schools and authored the first bill in the nation requiring ethical disclosure of dark money in political campaigns.

"From my first campaign in 1989 to today, I have felt overwhelmingly proud to serve the Panhandle, South Plains and the Permian Basin," Seliger said in the release.

Seliger was first elected to the Texas Senate in 2004. Senate District 31 spans 37 counties from the Panhandle to the Permian Basin and includes Amarillo, Midland, Odessa and Big Spring.

According to his official Texas Senate web page, Seliger was born in Amarillo and raised in Borger. He graduated from  Borger public schools and Dartmouth College. He spent 35 years in the steel industry.

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Seliger serves as vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and sits on the Senate committees for Health & Human Services, Natural Resources & Economic Development, Veteran Affairs & Border Security, and Nominations.

"It has been a great honor to represent the people, schools and businesses of Senate District 31 for the past 17 years in the Texas Legislature," he said. "The opportunity to serve as Chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee and Senate Select Committee on Redistricting, as well as a longtime member of the Finance and Education Committees, allowed me to be impactful in areas of great importance to me and the entire state."

Prior to his election to the Senate, Seliger served four terms as mayor of Amarillo and as a member of the Amarillo City Commission and the Amarillo Civil Service Commission.

"I will continue to serve the great constituents of Senate District 31 for the remainder of my term," Seliger stated. "I am forever grateful for my family, supporters, staff, and those who have worked on my behalf since 2004. Thank you for placing your trust in me as your Texas State Senator."

He and his wife, Nancy, live in Amarillo, and have two sons, Jonathan and Matthew and a granddaughter, Collins Gray Seliger.