Texas Democratic Rep. Filemon Vela has surprised lawmakers with his announcement of an early retirement from Congress that could occur in the next few weeks.

Vela had already planned not to run again. A new position with the Akin Group could have him leaving after the Easter recess in April.

Texas Democrat Rep. Filemon Vela (D-TX), who announced at the beginning of last year that he would retire from Congress, could now reportedly leave the House within the coming weeks to take a position with Akin Gump. https://t.co/ng8jq4D0Dl

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) March 25, 2022

The early departure could lead to a special election in the Congressman’s district.

“[B]oth parties, the Democrats and Republicans, are unsure if his resignation would trigger a special election, which would likely be in Texas’s newly redistricted map,” Breitbart News reported.

“However, if a special election is called, it could complicate things for Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), who is running for Vela’s seat after leaving his old district behind. The new district is rated a ‘Biden +4,’ which was already going to be a battle for the Democrats to hold,” the report added.

The departure is one of more than 30 House Democrats leaving at or before the midterm elections.

Many conservatives see the potential for a red wave, offering Republicans an opportunity to take back the House and slow the damage of the Biden administration.