Updated: Jackson Chooses Congress Over State Senate

As expected, state Sen. Mike Jackson, R-La Porte, will run for Congress next year instead of for re-election to the Texas Senate.

He'll be running in the newly created CD-36. Jackson, the Senate's president pro tempore, has been in that body since 1999, and served in the Texas House for ten years before that. He'll turn 58 this weekend.

Here's his announcement:

Today, Mike Jackson, State Senator from the 11th District and President of Force Corporation, an industrial construction and maintenance company, officially filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to establish a Committee to support his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the newly created 36th Congressional District.  The District includes all or part of the following counties: Chambers, Hardin, Harris, Jasper, Liberty, Newton, Orange, Polk, and Tyler.

The 11th Senatorial District, which Jackson has represented since 1999, covers significant population centers in the 36th Congressional District including the cities of Deer Park, Pasadena, the Clear Lake area (home to NASA’s Johnson Space Center), Seabrook, and La Porte.

“Our nation, our economy, and the future of our children have suffered greatly under the misguided and damaging polices of Barack Obama,” said Jackson.  “As a small business owner and conservative State Senator, I know our area deserves to have a Representative who will fight to stop Obama’s massive spending, massive debt, and excessive regulation that is plaguing our nation.”

Added at 10:43 a.m.:

State Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, has said he's interested in running for Jackson's Senate seat. He'll say something about in a week, according to an email he sent out this morning.

“Today is a day for us to honor Mike Jackson and all he has done for Southeast Texas.  He has been a dedicated and proven public servant, having served for 10 years in the Texas House before serving as our State Senator these last 13 years.  With his leadership and experience, he will make an outstanding Congressman.  I will have an announcement about my intentions next week, but today I want to recognize Sen. Jackson’s record of service.”