Democrat Sebastian K. Gehrig is tossing his name into the race to replace U.S. Rep. Kay Granger.
Gehrig, a veteran and small business owner, will run against candidate Trey Hunt for the Democratic nomination for Texas’ 12th Congressional District in the March 5 primary. The winner will face the winner of the Republican primary in the Nov. 5 election.
The seat is open after Granger, a Fort Worth Republican, decided to retire from Congress after nearly three decades.
“As a veteran, a small business owner, and a proud member of the Gen-Z, my life has been defined by the core values of integrity, service before self, and equity,” Gehrig said on his campaign website. “These principles, instilled in me by my blue-collar father and entrepreneurial immigrant mother, are the compass guiding my campaign to represent the hard-working people of District 12.”
Gehrig enlisted in the Air Force in June 2017 and retired in 2022. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Pennsylvania State University in August.
After retiring from the Air Force, Gehrig took over his family business. Gehrig is the CEO of Anirbasnerek Pet Services and The Gehrig’s Wealth Management & Holdings LLC, according to his LinkedIn.
The 12th Congressional District covers western Tarrant County and much of Parker County. In 2020, President Donald Trump won the district by 18 percentage points.
Republicans Craig Goldman, John O’Shea, Shellie Gardner and Anne Henley are vying for the seat, too.
U.S. House members earn an annual salary of $174,000 and serve two-year terms.
Jacob Sanchez is an enterprise journalist for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or via Twitter. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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