US EditionNichols Announces He Will Not Seek Reelection, Ashby to Run for State Senate Seat
- State Senator Robert Nichols announced on Tuesday he will not seek reelection and will serve until his term ends on January 12, 2027.
- Nichols will complete two decades in the Legislature along with eight and a half years as a transportation commissioner during the administrations of Governors George W. Bush and Rick Perry.
- Nichols represented the large East Texas Senate District 3, has occasionally broken with his party, notably opposing private school vouchers in 2023 and supporting an exception for rape in the state's abortion ban in 2022.
- State Representative Trent Ashby, elected in 2012 and serving parts of District 3, announced his campaign to succeed Nichols, emphasizing his conservative values and legislative work on education and infrastructure.
- Nichols' decision opens a competitive race for Senate District 3, with campaign activities underway, including a fundraiser for another candidate, Rhonda Ward, who had announced her run prior to Nichols' decision.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Candidate Announcement: Republican State Rep. Trent Ashby seeking Senate District 3 seat
Following the announcement that State Senator Robert Nichols will not seek re-election, State Representative Trent Ashby (R–Lufkin) announced Tuesday, June 24, that he will run to represent District 3 in the Texas Senate. ...
Most Liberal Republican Senator Not Seeking Re-election
Following intense scrutiny by The Dallas Express and a survey highlighting his liberal ideology, Texas State Senator Robert Nichols announced yesterday that he would not seek re-election for SD3.According to a recent ideological ranking from The Texas Tribune, Nichols ranked as the least conservative of his republican colleagues right behind Senator Angela Paxton.TexasTribune.orgDays before announcing he would not seek re-election, the Dallas Ex…
Robert Nichols, the most senior Texas Senate Republican, won’t run for reelection
By Kayla Guo, The Texas Tribune June 24, 2025 “Robert Nichols, the most senior Texas Senate Republican, won’t run for reelection” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news…
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