Texas House Speaker Joe Straus made a decision about his future political plans

FILE - In this April 19, 2017, file photo, Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, talks with fellow lawmakers on the House floor at the Texas Capitol in Austin. Straus has for months opposed a "bathroom bill" targeting transgender people, saying the proposal could spark boycotts that could hurt the state's economy. The Legislature is heading into special session on Tuesday, July 25 and conservative groups have promised to target Straus and his key House lieutenants during March's GOP primaries if the issue doesn't pass. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

The San Antonio Republican announced on Wednesday that he would not be running for reelection, a move that came as a surprise to many.

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RELATED: Speaker Joe Straus Has Clear Position on What Should Happen to the Confederate Plaque.

“I believe that in a representative democracy, those who serve in public office should do so for a time, not for a lifetime,” Straus said in an email and Facebook post from his campaign account. He’s been speaker of the Texas House since 2009, and this would have been his sixth term if he’d been reelected.

Straus has been in the news a few times lately due to his clashes with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick over legislation like the infamous Bathroom Bill and his move to get Confederate monuments like the plaque on state capitol property taken down.

“Instead of acting on behalf of the entire House, I will now have a greater opportunity to express my own views and priorities. I will also continue to work for a Republican Party that tries to bring Texans together instead of us pulling us apart,” Straus stated in his Facebook message.

RELATED: Special Session May Have Come to an End, But Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Says the Legislative Season May Not be Over.

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