Several weeks ago, a majority of Republicans who will serve next session got together with a singular goal: unite behind one reformer for Speaker of the Texas House.
This gathering sparked a significant amount of pressure from Phelan cardinals who worked tirelessly to prevent members from attending. Fortunately, the remaining Dade loyalists have lost influence over most of their Republican colleagues.
Phelan, who has been trying to stay as quiet as possible, was forced to put out a public statement in response to this meeting.
Here’s what Phelan posted on X shortly before the meeting:
Today’s gathering is little more than an orchestrated scheme to generate headlines and fuel social media clicks, driving our caucus headlong into unnecessary chaos. A very small handful of self-anointed instigators put on this gathering, refusing to invite the majority of the current Republican caucus, misleading members to get them in the room, and permitting unauthorized proxy voting for those not in attendance in order to artificially inflate their numbers. The organizers of this distraction have completely and deliberately shortcut established caucus rules to generate an outcome benefitting nobody but themselves. Not only are their actions disappointing and unacceptable, they are futile, as I proudly have the clear majority votes needed to be the Speaker today, and will have the clear majority support needed to become Speaker again come January.
Phelan’s remarks include blatant falsehoods concerning the number of Republicans present at the meeting and its process, but they include an admission from Phelan that he is relying on Democrats to keep his power.
“I proudly have the clear majority votes needed to be the Speaker today, and will have the clear majority support needed to become Speaker again come January,” he wrote.
While insiders know that Phelan is bluffing about his 76 “committed votes,” the fact that he’s implying that the Democrats are with him, and doing so publicly, shows just how desperate he is.
Phelan knows he has lost most Republicans, but he is hoping that he can find 20 of the 86 Republicans to team up with him to maintain the broken leadership structure that has pitted Republicans in the Texas House against Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and most importantly, their own voters.
Republican State Rep. Tony Tinderholt was quick to point that out on X.
“We’d love to see your list of legislators because the only way to have the votes to become speaker means you have the Democrats! That goes against the Republican Party Platform, but using Dems in your primary is how you barely won re-election after spending millions,” wrote Tinderholt.
Since becoming speaker of the Texas House, Phelan has obstructed critical reforms and allowed the Democrat minority to hold far too much influence over the legislative process. In his primary runoff election, Phelan relied on Democrat crossover voters to keep his seat. Now, he’s trying the same strategy in the Texas House.
Phelan’s repeated reliance on Democrats for political survival should serve as the final straw for any Republican who is still trying to portray him as a friend of conservative values.
Some of the Republicans still trying to advocate for Dade Phelan’s Democrat-led speakership include Jared Patterson, Terry Wilson, Dustin Burrows, Morgan Meyer, Stan Gerdes, Carl Tepper, and incoming freshman Jeff Barry.
The Texas House can be governed by Republicans, but only if they choose to govern themselves instead of allowing the Democrats to choose the next speaker.
This is a commentary published with the author’s permission. If you wish to submit a commentary to Texas Scorecard, please submit your article to submission@texasscorecard.com.
