Another Republican lawmaker is stepping away from Congress, and the announcement has set off a wave of speculation online. Congressman Troy E. Nehls posted on social media Saturday that he will retire at the end of his term, following closely behind fellow GOP figure Marjorie Taylor Greene, who also recently said she would depart.
Nehls shared a long message on X explaining his decision. “After more than 30 years in law enforcement serving and protecting my community as a police officer, constable, Fort Bend County Sheriff, an Army veteran, and six years representing this district in Congress, I have made the decision, after conversations with my beautiful bride and my girls over the Thanksgiving holiday, to focus on my family and return home after this Congress,” he wrote.
But many online commenters didn’t accept that explanation at face value. Shea Jordan Smith, a popular user formerly associated with Empower Project, wrote, “Troy, it’s cute that you’re wrapping this up like some noble farewell, but let’s be real here: this ain’t about ‘family time.'” Smith continued, “This is about clocking out the second your congressional pension fully vests and your lifetime taxpayer-funded healthcare kicks in.”
Author Timothy Peterson added his own brief take. “Pension fully vested and lifetime taxpayer funded healthcare secured => got what you came for, time to leave.” One user who said she lives in Nehls’s district, Dawn Morrow, replied, “This is the only thing you have done as my representative that has made me happy.” She closed her comment with a simple, “Thank you.”
Some conservatives had their own theory. A user known as Apple Lamps wrote, “Must be lots of money flowing thru districts democrats want.” The post went on, “Very strange that republicans in these districts suddenly decide not to run for re-election or end up resigning…”
Jesse Rodriguez of MS NOW pointed to something else entirely. “May 2024: Rep. Troy Nehls investigated over allegations he used campaign money to pay rent to his own company,” he wrote, linking to a report about that investigation. “Today he announced his retirement.”