With the start of the new congressional session, hundreds of people flock to our nation’s capital, many of them are family and friends of the elected representatives.
Representative Jodey Arrington, of District 19, invited dozens of constituents to join him in Washington, D.C. As he took his oath of office.
“I want the folks in Lubbock and the surrounding areas, Abilene and the 29 counties, to go on this journey and to experience this transition into being official,” Arrington told EverythingLubbock.com.
Among those in attendance, three mayors, Texas Tech administrators, and businessmen and women from across the South Plains.
“House District 19 is a big one,” said Lubbock Mayor Dan Pope. But the biggest part of that is Lubbock. Merely 40 percent of the people in House district 19 live in Lubbock County. So it’s important to be here, to represent Lubbock and to encourage our new congressman.”
Pope explained he spent his trip to the capital meeting with other regional city officials, as well as members of the Texas delegation.
He said he had an opportunity to “talk about some legislative priorities, and federal priorities.”
Littlefield Mayor Eric Turpen accepted Arrington’s invitation as well.
“We want to make sure that we stay connected and our representatives know what West Texas and communities like ours need,” said Turpen.
Two city leaders from Seminole, Mayor Wayne Mixon and City Administrator Tommy Phillips, attended the receptions on behalf of Gaines County.
“First time I met him we had lunch together, and visited about all these issues, he seemed to have the right answer every time,” Mixon said of Arrington. “I think he’ll do what he says he will do. That’s all we expect of him is to do what he says he’ll do.”
“We raise a lot of cotton and peanuts and we think that we need better representation for our agricultural interests, and we think that Jodey can do that,” Mixon added.
Also in attendance, representing Texas Tech, were President Dr. Lawrence Schovanec, Chancellor Robert Duncan, and Dr. Tedd Mitchell, President of the Health Science Center.
The Honorable Kent Hance, a mentor of Arrington’s, presented him with his Congressional pin, outside the office where Hance himself served in congress.
Arrington said it felt like he was “passing the baton.”
“He left some big shoes to fill here, and he’s one of my closest friends,” Arrington said of Hance.
Many local leaders said Arrington’s presence in the House of Representatives would help ensure that Lubbock and the South Plains remained prominently on the map.
