State Representative Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford) announced today he would not seek re-election in the Texas House. While this is good news for House District 92, he is leaving the Legislature on bad terms.
Stickland entered the Legislature after being first elected in 2012, meaning he has served long enough – eight years – to be entitled to pension benefits at age 60.
Building notoriety for crass comments about women, antiscience ideas, being petty, obstinate, and killing many bills, Stickland alienated himself further this session.
He quit the House Freedom Caucus that he himself founded in 2017 after it was criticized for not being extreme enough.
He was the lone no vote on 85 bills this session, according to a Reform Austin analysis. This included bills on supporting student mental health, teacher retirement benefits and increasing funding for public schools.
He was funded largely by millionaires and PACs who do not live in his district. According to a Reform Austin analysis of Texas Ethics Commission data, Stickland received more than 99 percent of his campaign funds from out of district donors and PACs in just the last two election cycles.
Stickland made many political enemies in the Legislature. He even campaigned against fellow Republican Sarah Davis (R-West University Place) in 2018.
Texas Monthly has crowned Stickland as Worst Legislator for two consecutive legislative sessions. This session, the Texas Monthly gave him the Cockroach Award.
Stickland was terrible for his Tarrant County district and terrible for Texas for four consecutive legislative sessions. Editorial boards across Texas agree. Even dogs from his districts don’t like him.
