It’s time for Republicans to lead the Texas House.
That was the message delivered by Attorney General Ken Paxton to a packed room in Leander on Tuesday, as hundreds gathered to hear his remarks just one week before the Texas Legislature convenes. The race for speaker of the House remains uncertain, with intraparty divisions threatening Republican unity.
Last month, State Rep. David Cook (R–Mansfield) won the Republican nomination for speaker. Despite this, State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock) and a small faction of Republicans are attempting to form a coalition with Democrats to seize the gavel.
Paxton framed this fight as part of a long-standing battle.
“It’s surreal to be here because we’ve been trying to change what’s going on right now for 17 years. And it really is a simple question… We want Republican representatives to vote with Republicans to elect a Republican speaker so we can get Republican issues done,” said Paxton.
Paxton, who was first elected to the Texas House in 2003, recalled a time when Republicans stood united. Back then, GOP lawmakers unanimously supported Republican leadership, enabling significant conservative victories like balancing the budget, cutting taxes, and reforming Medicaid. However, that unity fractured in 2009 when a slim Republican majority allowed a group of 11 Republicans to join Democrats to elect a speaker.
“That’s where this all started,” Paxton said. “We got pushed off our committees, couldn’t pass legislation, and became the lowest-level House members. The Democrats and a select few Republicans ran the show.”
Paxton credited grassroots activism, the election of President Donald Trump, and a new wave of principled conservatives with reinvigorating the fight for Republican unity. He emphasized transparency and voter engagement, urging attendees to hold their representatives accountable.
“Talk to your state representative,” Paxton said. “If they’re not voting for the Republican caucus nominee, remind them they’re at risk for a primary challenge. They care about getting re-elected—use that to push for the right decisions.”
Paxton directly criticized Burrows for what he described as hypocrisy and arrogance.
“Dustin Burrows was part of a process a few years ago of setting up rules designed to ensure Republicans elected a Republican Speaker,” Paxton said. “Then when the rules didn’t work out—when he couldn’t get elected in that group—he walked out and said, ‘Forget the rules. They don’t apply to me.’”
Paxton added, “The arrogance of that and the hypocrisy of that are overwhelming. He doesn’t care about following the rules he wrote. He dismissed those as ‘They’re not relevant to me. I wrote them for everybody else.’”
The attorney general also called out State Rep. Terry Wilson, whose district includes Leander, for supporting Burrows and rejecting the Republican Caucus’ nominee.
“Everyone in this room should be talking to Terry Wilson. He needs to be accountable for what he’s doing,” Paxton said.
Other speakers at the event included Republican Party of Texas Chairman Abraham George, Vice Chair D’Rinda Randall, incoming freshman lawmaker Wes Virdell, and Williamson County GOP Chair Michelle Evans.
George pledged that Republicans who align with Democrats would face consequences.
“When the Texas House went against the most conservative Attorney General in the entire nation to impeach him, that says a lot about our Republican Texas House, and I count that as strike one,” said George. “If they elect a Democrat speaker this time around who goes against conservative values, that is strike two. And trust me, they’re going to have a lot more strikes after that if that’s the path they’re choosing.”
George added, “I would rather not spend any money against Republicans, but if that’s what it takes to get our house in order, that’s what we’re willing to do.”
With the legislative session fast approaching, grassroots conservatives are making it clear: they expect the Republican majority to unite behind their caucus nominee and deliver on the promises made to voters.
