For the first time in more than a decade, Representative Randy Neugebauer voted in a congressional election where his name was not on the ballot.
“It’s a big job, it’s a hard job, and also it’s an opportunity that nobody gets,” Neugebauer said.
Plainview native Jodey Arrington beat out former Lubbock Mayor Glen Robertson for the Republican nomination. Arrington faced Libertarian Troy Bonar and Green Party Candidate Mark Lawson on November 8.
Neugebauer said he is looking forward to the next phase of his life, after the new congressman is sworn in.
“This is going to come to an end on January 2. But, you know, I’ve been reflective on what a wonderful opportunity and honor it has been to do this. But I am also excited about what the next chapters going to be,” he said.
The outgoing District 19 Representative said there is still more work to be done.
“We are still in session and we go back in next week and we’ve still got to fund the government and all those funs things,” he explained. “At the same time we have kind of been working on our papers and our things that we have accumulated over our term.”
“My staff and I have been working on [the transition] and at the same time, we have been continuing the work for the people in the district,” he stated.
Neugebauer commented on the national political scene as he awaited Tuesday’s results.
“The reason that congress has been divided, the reason that there is such a divide here in this presidential race is the nation is divided,” he explained. “And the nation is divided on really one issue which is some believe government needs to get bigger and take up a bigger part of their every day life. And then there folks out there that want much less government, they feel like the government is taking over too much and that division has kind of reached a point where its become a very serious issue to a lot of people and people feel passionately on both sides of that.”
The retiring leader, in his mid 60s, had a message for the incoming congressman.
“Be ready to really go to work and its a big job, its a hard job and also it’s an opportunity not everybody gets,” he said. “Make sure you savor what a great opportunity it is.”
