Texas House Speaker Headed To Runoff After Trying To Impeach Ken Paxton
After working with Biden administration lawyers in his failed attempt to impeach popular Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan came in second place in his primary on Tuesday — sparking a runoff election.
Phelan lost a significant amount of support after he targeted Paxton — the only state attorney general in the U.S. that was taking the fight to the Biden administration, filing numerous lawsuits against the federal government over issues like the border crisis. The Republican attorney general also fought to prevent dangerous, irreversible transgender medical procedures for minors and to protect the sanctity of life.
“We were causing a lot of trouble for the Biden administration. Even if we didn’t, we slowed them down. We were winning. Like, I think our number is 77 percent of our cases,” Paxton told Tucker Carlson in a previous interview, noting that many of the lawyers in his impeachment investigation came from President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ).
Phelan’s decision to hold an impeachment trial against Paxton was met with outrage from the vast majority of conservatives, leading to a strong primary challenger emerging.
On Super Tuesday, Phelan lost the race to David Covey — an oil and gas consultant, conservative activist and current chairman of the Orange County Republican Party.
However, neither Phelan nor Covey were able to reach 50% in the primary, triggering a runoff election between the two. Phelan received 43% of the vote, while Covey received 46%.
The runoff election is scheduled for May, but Phelan’s chances aren’t looking good. His targeting of Paxton, his refusal to vote for school choice and the numerous instances that he appeared to be drunk on the House floor have all led to a strong campaign to oust him from office.
“It’s time for everyone who knows about traitorous Dade to start knocking on doors in House District 21,” wrote Texas Freedom Coalition president Sarah Fields.
Paxton also responded to the news of the runoff in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“While David Covey and Dade Phelan are headed to a runoff, it’s clear that our fight against the liberal forces in Austin must continue unabated,” the attorney general wrote. “I am still immensely proud to have supported David Covey in this crucial endeavor. Even in the face of overwhelming spending by Phelan, Covey managed to unite conservatives from every corner of our state.”
“This runoff is not a defeat, but rather a call to arms for all who stand for the principles of the America First movement,” he added. “Let this runoff be a rallying cry for all conservatives across Texas. We must continue to stand firm against the liberal agenda represented by Dade Phelan and his allies. Together, we will ensure that the Texas Capitol remains a bastion of conservative values, free from the influence of the Austin swamp.”
“The battle lines are drawn, and our resolve has never been stronger. We will not rest until we have secured victory in this runoff and reclaimed our state from the forces of Dade Phelan and his liberal backers. Texas deserves leaders who will put the interests of our citizens first, and together, we will ensure that our voices are heard loud and clear in Austin,” Paxton concluded.
