Longtime Assemblyman Pat Hickey won’t seek re-election

CARSON CITY — Reno GOP Assemblyman Pat Hickey said Tuesday he will not run for another term in the state Assembly next year, a commitment he made to himself before the contentious 2015 session even began.

"When I was elected to Republican leadership in the Assembly in 2012, I argued that Republicans could (and should) vote for more revenues for Nevada's schools, if significant reforms to education were to be enacted," Hickey said in a statement.

"Many of those reforms were passed in the just-completed 2015 session. I'm proud to have been a consistent voice in support of Governor (Brian) Sandoval's budget and a slate of ground breaking school reforms."

Hickey said he will serve out his term and perform his legislative duties between now and the 2016 general election, "but now is the right time to prepare to hand off the duties of Assembly District 25 to the next citizen representative."

Hickey served one term in the Assembly in 1997. He then ran for the seat again in 2010 and served three terms, including as minority leader in the 2013 session. Hickey was replaced in leadership in 2015 when the Republicans took the Assembly majority in the 2014 GOP sweep in the Nevada general election.

Hickey said he plans to teach a graduate political science class at the University of Nevada, Reno in the spring. He is also applying to serve as a substitute teacher in Washoe County schools.

Hickey said it will be interesting to serve as a classroom teacher and see firsthand the reforms approved by the 2015 Legislature.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801.