The Texas House Republican landscape is set to undergo a significant overhaul following a ruthless primary showdown that has at least nine GOP members on the outs, with several top dogs including House Speaker Dade Phelan now forced to do battle in runoff elections. In a power move that turned heads across the Lone Star State, Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton took the conservative offensive to a new level, not hesitating to challenge in-party incumbents and reshape the faction in their own staunch conservative image.
Abbott aimed his political guns at rural Republicans resistant to his school choice legislation, while Paxton took a more personal approach, aiming to unseat those who had dared to vote for his impeachment the prior May. The score after Tuesday's election: casualties on the incumbent side include Travis Clardy, Ernest Bailes, and Hugh Shine, among others - all dispatched with the help of the governor's backing. "Republican primary voters have once again sent an unmistakable message that parents deserve the freedom to choose the best education pathway for their child," Abbott declared in a statement reported by The Texas Tribune.
As the Texas House braces for change, a batch of three anti-school choice Republicans are prepping to likely endure grueling runoff races. Phelan himself, the man at the helm, faces an existential political crisis as Texans wait to cast their votes yet again on May 28. "This runoff is not just another race, it’s the frontline of the battle for the soul of our district," Phelan told CBS Austin in an election night statement.
Meanwhile, Paxton can be found somewhere nodding approvingly at his "revenge tour" results, which saw the fall of his opponents like Jacey Jetton and Reggie Smith who both lost to Paxton-endorsed candidates. On Phelan's heels are other seasoned politicians such as Gary VanDeaver and DeWayne Burns, who must now rally once more to secure their positions against Paxton's picks. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, whose endorsement bears weight in conservative circles, signaled shifting tides with his support for David Covey, Phelan's imminent threat. "The expiration date on Dade Phelan’s Speakership is written on the bottle,” Patrick said, according to CBS Austin.
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