Since announcing my decision not to run for Congress, I have received many wonderful messages from my friends on Facebook and I want to thank you. I have been humbled by your friendship and support and honored that so many of you have emailed me encouraging me to consider running for office again.

This was a tough decision for me to make on so many levels. My wife, Carla, and I both viewed the campaign as one of the most enjoyable and enriching experiences of our lives. And, yes, I would consider doing it again. I love Texas and am deeply committed to public service and doing all I can to help others achieve a better life. In addition, I continue to believe that our country needs more people in Washington who know how to create jobs, build our economy up from the grassroots level, keep America competitive and bring fiscal sanity to government.

That said, last month, after careful consideration and facing a January 4 deadline to put my name on the ballot officially, I concluded that 2010 is not the right year for me to run. Since forming our Exploratory Committee last February, the environment in our District has changed significantly. Given that reality, I concluded that the right and responsible thing to do was to not file and return all the money to our contributors so they could invest it elsewhere.

Looking forward, I remain deeply committed to improving the lives of Texans and the many causes that I have worked hard for here in the state over the last decade -- bringing major employers and jobs to Central Texas in my role as vice chairman of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce; bringing millions of dollars in state funding to startups in the region through my work as Chairman of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund for Central Texas; and continuing my nonprofit work to improve education and healthcare and build economic development opportunities throughout Texas.

Thank you, again, for your friendship and support over the last 10 months. It has meant the world to me and I will never forget it. I wish each of you a very happy and healthy 2010.

Sincerely, Jack