Former MLB All-Star first baseman Mark Teixeira made an announcement on social media on Thursday regarding his candidacy for U.S. Congress in Texas’ 21st district. Running as a Republican, Teixeira aims to succeed Chip Roy, the current officeholder who has decided not to pursue re-election and is instead seeking the position of Texas’ Attorney General.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Teixeira attended Georgia Tech University. Most of his professional career was spent with the New York Yankees. However, he was initially selected by the Texas Rangers and played with them for parts of five seasons. He highlighted that experience in his announcement.
«Representing the Texas Rangers and bringing up my family in the Lone Star State has been one of the greatest gifts of my life,» his statement expressed.
Teixeira, 45, participated in 14 seasons in the major leagues from 2003 to 2016. He recorded a batting line of .268/.360/.509 (126 OPS+) with 409 home runs. His overall contributions are estimated at 50.5 Wins Above Replacement, according to calculations from Baseball Reference. He was selected for three All-Star Games and received five Gold Glove and three Silver Slugger Awards. He celebrated a World Series win in 2009 with the Yankees and played for the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves during his career.
Teixeira is the most recent addition to a long line of former baseball players and staff members seeking public office, joining figures such as Steve Garvey and Bobby Valentine in recent years. Garvey lost his campaign for the U.S. Senate last November, while Valentine fell short in his 2021 bid for the mayoral position in Stamford, Connecticut.
