Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan drops from race for another term
AUSTIN – Amid a contentious fight to be the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives for the next Legislature, incumbent Rep. Dade Phelan announced Friday morning he will withdraw his name from consideration.
Phelan, a Republican from Beaumont, has been under attack from other Republicans who say he is not sufficiently conservative. Phelan also supported the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, which resulted in an acquittal after a 2023 trial in the state Senate.
Paxton and his allies backed primary challenges to many of the House Republicans who supported the impeachment; Phelan won the runoff for the Republican nomination by just 366 votes.
In a statement released Friday, Phelan said in part, "By stepping aside, I believe we create the best opportunity for our members to rally around a new candidate who will uphold the principles that make our House one of the most exceptional, deliberative legislative bodies in the country—a place where honor, integrity, and the right of every member to vote their district takes utmost precedent."
Phelan's announcement comes just a day before the Texas House Republican Caucus was set to meet and discuss who to back for speaker. The caucus bylaws say whoever gets 60 percent of the vote, in this case 53 votes, will be the Republican nominee, and that members agree to support that candidate. The final vote takes place on the first day of the next legislative session, Tuesday, January 14th, when House Republicans and Democrats vote.
While Phelan had some supporters, many House Republicans had announced they would back challengers like Rep. David Cook of Mansfield. Democratic Rep. Ana Maria Ramos of Dallas is also running.
The Texas House Democratic Caucus released a statement in response to Phelan's announcement, saying:
"Nothing has changed for Texas House Democrats as we look towards January and the next legislative session. With 40 days until we reconvene in Austin, only one Caucus stands united and focused on the real problems affecting Texans: struggling public schools, unregulated price gauging after disasters, and the loss of bodily autonomy.
For any Speaker candidate interested in serving the House, the Democratic Caucus is available to listen, and hear their plans to finally give Texans a legislative session that puts people over politics."
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
