Vincent Harding Travis County Democratic Party Chairman Vincent Harding[/caption]

Encouraging words from elected officials, area residents and business leaders were not enough to persuade Travis County Democratic Party Chairman Vincent Harding to run for Texas House District 46, he said Wednesday.

In a statement posted on Twitter, he told followers he decided against running for the position, which covers parts of Austin, Pflugerville and Manor.

"While I may not be pursuing a run for HD46 in this legislative session, I hope to be a strong advocate at the Capitol again this year to help bring about policy changes and bring the awareness of very important issues," he said.

The position will be vacated next week by Dawnna Dukes, who announced in September she would be retiring early.

Harding, who has served as Travis County Democratic Party chairman since September 2015, said he will continue to "help usher in a new kind of politics based on people and principle over political favors and corporations."

The pool of candidates looking to replace Dukes includes ex-Austin City Council Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole, workers' rights advocate Jose "Chito" Vela III and trial lawyer Adam Reposa.

Candidates cannot officially file for the seat until Dukes retires on the first day of the 85th legislative session, which begins Tuesday, and after Gov. Greg Abbott calls for a special election.

Texas House District 46 map This map shows the boundaries of Texas House District 46.[/caption]