State Rep. Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, announced Thursday he planned on running for the Congress seat soon to be vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio.

Isaac, a state representative since 2011, is the first to announce his campaign for the seat after Smith, a 16-term congressman, announced early this month he would be retiring.

“During my four terms in the Texas Legislature, I’ve had the honor and privilege of participating firsthand in helping make Texas the freest state in the nation—and it’s time to take those values and experience to Washington,” Isaac said in a news release Thursday. “A new administration promises new hope for constraining the growth of the federal government, but it can’t be done without principled conservative leadership in Congress.”

The Republican touted his successes in cutting taxes and regulations, improving education, preserving second amendment rights and bolstering private property rights.

Isaac's term ends next November.

District 21 includes portions of Bexar, Comal, Hays, and Travis counties and encompasses Bandera, Blanco, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, and Real counties.

Filing for the 2018 primaries begins Saturday and ends Dec. 11.



This is a breaking news story and will be updated.