World Series winner Mark Teixeira elected to Congress in Texas

Former New York Yankees and Texas Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira has won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Democrat Kristin Hook in Texas's 21st Congressional District. Field Level Media reported the Republican's victory on Wednesday, beginning a new public role for a player who helped the Yankees win the 2009 World Series.

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Teixeira's baseball career included three All-Star selections and five Gold Gloves. The Rangers chose him fifth overall in the 2001 draft, and he played for Texas from 2003 to 2007 before moving through the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels to New York. His Yankees tenure ran from 2009 through 2016, according to Field Level Media's account of his career.

Across 1,862 major-league games, Teixeira hit 409 home runs and drove in 1,298 runs, finishing with a .268 batting average. His All-Star appearances came in 2005, 2009 and 2015. The 46-year-old was born and raised in Maryland and attended Georgia Tech before entering professional baseball, Field Level Media reported.

The congressional seat became available because Republican Chip Roy chose to seek the Texas attorney general's office rather than another House term. KUT reported that Roy, first elected to Congress in 2018, lost his attorney general primary runoff to state senator Mayes Middleton. The district spans much of the Texas Hill Country and includes parts of Austin and San Antonio; it has not elected a Democrat since 1978.

KUT described a campaign with sharply different priorities. Teixeira presented himself as a conservative aligned with President Donald Trump's agenda and promised a tough approach to immigration. Hook, a scientist making her second attempt to win the seat, opposed Trump's immigration positions and campaigned against corporate influence in politics while advocating protection of Texas's natural resources, including water.

The National Republican Congressional Committee also acknowledged the result on Wednesday. Chairman Richard Hudson congratulated Teixeira as congressman-elect and pointed to the discipline and teamwork associated with his sporting career. Hudson's statement outlined the party's expectations for Teixeira on taxes, individual liberty and economic opportunity as he prepares to move from a career in baseball to elected office.