Former Texas Rangers star first baseman Mark 'Tex' Teixeira has announced his candidacy for the US House seat being vacated by Chip Roy, who is running for Texas Attorney General.

The switch-hitting first baseman was raised in Maryland and played his college ball at Georgia Tech. He was drafted by the Rangers with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft. He made his Major League debut on opening day in 2003. He manned first base for the Rangers until being traded to Atlanta during the 2007 season. Over his 13-year career, he played for four teams: the Rangers, Braves, Angels, and Yankees. Along with the World Series he won with New York in 2009, Teixeira was a three-time all-star, and won five Gold Glove and three Silver Slugger awards. 

Teixeria is the first Republican to throw his hat into the ring to succeed Roy in Texas's 21st Congressional District. He will probably not be the last, but if he can win in the primaries, he will go into the 2026 midterm election as the odds-on favorite to win in the dependably red district.

He's even got some Red Sox fans getting behind his campaign.

The reaction to the former World Series champs' Republican-ness was not so well-received by some Yankee fans.

Finding out that a ball player doesn't share your political views, so sad.

Does this guy really believe that Tex was the only Republican who has ever played for the Yankees?

Not that the LA Angels fans were much better.

It's far too early to tell how the election for Texas 21 is going to go. Tex will almost certainly face a few Republican challengers in the primaries, but his ability to generate a rainstorm of coast-to-coast liberal tears with his mere presence has us hoping he hits this one out of the park.

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