BEAUMONT, Texas — Republican James White is resigning from his long-held Texas House of Representatives District 19 seat.
White's term was set to end on January 10, 2023. He said he is taking on the role of Executive Director for the Texas Funeral Service Commission, effective immediately.
The TFSC performs two primary services, licensing and compliance.
His former district is now now undergoing some major changes, meaning District 19 will no longer exist because of the new redistricting laws.
"It has been divided. It's gone," he said.
White's former district will be divided to four surrounding districts.
Polk and Tyler Counties will go to District 57, Hardin County will go to District 18, Jasper County will go to Dade Phelan's District 21 and Newton county will go to District 11.
Despite the changes, White says East Texas remains in good hands.
"I'm very confident that my colleagues will continue to protect our first amendment rights, protect our freedom of speech rights our second amendment rights and our 10th amendment rights," he said.
Those are some of the very things he's focused on in his 12 years in office.
White was the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety, has served on the Correction and Redistricting Committee, and he's been a staunch advocate for 1st amendment, 2nd amendment and 10th amendment rights.
Still, he says his greatest accomplishment has been serving the people of East Texas.
"When you look at the world and you look at the us as the light of freedom, and you look at Texas, with our agriculture, our energy, our faith, okay," White said. "The whole light of liberty of the world is really resting on the shoulders of every Texan, so we have to come he makes sure that Texas stays Texas."
The first time the Houston native won the race for the District 19 seat was on November 6, 2012, according to ballotpedia. White won every election for the seat from 2012 to 2020.
In 2022, White announced he was running to become the next agriculture commissioner. If he had been voted in, White said he planned to use his experience as a member of the Agriculture and Livestock Committee to help insure Texas remained the national leader of agriculture.
White was defeated by Sid Miller in the Republican primaries.
About James White
White earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Prairie View A&M University in 1986 and a master's degree in education administration from the same school in 2000. White also earned a doctorate in political science from the University of Houston in 2012.
White is a veteran, having served in the U.S. Army.
In addition to his political career, White also worked as a school teacher, coach, businessman and author.
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