Former Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan announced Thursday that he will not run for re-election, bringing an end to a decade-long career in the lower chamber.
Phelan, a Beaumont Republican first elected in 2014, served two terms as speaker of the House beginning in 2021. His tenure was marked by deep division within the Republican caucus, particularly after he oversaw the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2023.
That move, which was later rejected in the Senate, alienated many GOP activists and lawmakers who accused Phelan of advancing Democrat interests over Republican priorities.
The fallout carried into the 2024 election cycle.
While Phelan narrowly held on to his own seat in a bruising primary that went to a runoff, many of his Republican allies were defeated. At the time, President Donald Trump labeled any Republican supporting Phelan “a fool.” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, meanwhile, took the unusual step of campaigning against him.
By the end of the year, Phelan’s grip on power had all but evaporated.
Last December, he bowed out of the speaker’s race. In stepping aside, Phelan said he wanted to give members the best opportunity to rally around new leadership, while warning of “immense intimidation from outsiders wishing to influence our chamber.”
Critics, however, have pointed to his record as evidence of failed leadership.
Attorney General Ken Paxton blasted Phelan’s legacy as “one of betrayal,” citing his reliance on Democrat votes and his role in the impeachment.
Phelan’s opponents have also noted the repeated special sessions called by Gov. Greg Abbott during his time as speaker due to a failure to pass conservative priorities.
After relinquishing the speakership this year, he was relegated to chair the Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee. Most notably, he attempted to push legislation this session to regulate the sharing of political memes. While the bill passed the House, it did not move in the Senate.
His departure leaves an open race to replace him. The southeast Texas District 21 contains Jasper, Orange, and portions of Jefferson County.
