Rep. Pickle, 80, of Texas Will Retire Next Year
U.S. Rep. J. J. Pickle (D-Tex.), who holds the seat that once belonged to Lyndon B. Johnson, announced Friday that he will retire next year after more than three decades in Congress.
“I’ve always said that I hope I have enough judgment to know when to come home, and when to step aside, and I’ve just chosen this time,” the 80-year-old Pickle said.
Before becoming a congressman, Pickle served as an assistant to Johnson. Pickle’s departure will cost Texas a powerful voice in Washington, where he is the third-ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee.
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