U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold has announced he won't seek re-election, less than a week after a House committee opened an investigation into sexual harassment claims from a former aide.
Farenthold made the announcement Thursday morning on his campaign Facebook page.
The four-term Corpus Christi Republican, whose district includes portions of Bastrop and Caldwell counties, met twice Wednesday with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who was believed to be urging Farenthold to step down, according to The Dallas Morning News, citing an unnamed GOP official.
Farenthold also was losing support among fellow Texas Republicans.
U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, on Wednesday endorsed Bech Bruun, who resigned as chairman of the Texas Water Development Board to run as a Republican for Farenthold's seat.
The House Ethics Committee on Dec. 7 launched a new investigation into allegations that he made explicit remarks to a former aide and retaliated against her for complaining. That came a week after media reports that he settled a lawsuit the aide brought against him with $84,000 of taxpayer money. Farenthold has since said he will pay back the Treasury with his own money.
This week, The New York Times and CNN published new allegations of abusive behavior in Farenthold's Washington office.
Texas Democrats called on Farenthold to step down immediately.
"Blake Farenthold should immediately leave office for his vile behavior, a PR stunt to not run for reelection is simply not enough," Texas Democratic Party Executive Director Crystal K. Perkins said in a statement.
"Republican Blake Farenthold has no business holding public office. The fact is, Farenthold has violated the public trust and shown a pattern of demeaning, degrading, and disrespectful conduct towards women."
Six Republicans and four Democrats are running for the seat.
Farenthold is the sixth Republican member of Congress from Texas to announce this year he's not seeking re-election. The others include Joe Barton of Ennis, who was embroiled in a nude photo and sexting scandal.
Two Texas Democrats are not running for re-election, including Rep. Beto O'Rourke of El Paso, who is running for the U.S. Senate seat occupied by Republican Ted Cruz.
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