Hidalgo told ABC13's Melanie Lawson in an exclusive interview that she is honoring a promise she made when she was first elected: to serve only two terms.
"The first time I was elected, I said immediately, 'I don't want to do this for 30 years. I don't want to have more than two terms,'" she said.
When asked about rumors that she was eyeing Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia's seat in District 29, Hidalgo denied the speculation and expressed support for Garcia. Hidalgo said she will do everything she can to back Garcia's candidacy and other Democrats around the state.
Hidalgo said she is unsure of what will come next in her career, but she confirmed she will not run for office in this election cycle. She added that she plans to stay in public safety and left the door open to return for a new political position in the future.
"If the voters will have me, I'd like to be in elected office again. I think that with everything I've been through, I have learned so much about how to be an elected official and make it sustainable," she said.
The announcement to ABC13 comes after weeks of controversy and outbursts at the Commissioners Court.
When asked about contentious moments during her time in office, like the shouting matches, walking out of a recent meeting, and the criticism surrounding the time she brought children to the Commissioners Court to make a point about early education, Hidalgo defended her decision.
She said she is glad that she brought attention to the issue of early education funding and questioned why three commissions voted against it.
"You know who votes and who endorses. It ain't the kids, but somebody needs to speak for them," she said.
"I don't think anybody does things perfectly, and I know there are things that I could have done better, or there are some things that we did very well. And the fact of the matter is, we move on."
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