When egos are bruised in politics, there is often hell to pay. There is no better example of this than what is happening in Texas now. It all started when Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan went to a primary runoff against challenger David Covey.
This bruised one of the state’s most powerful figures, emboldening Attorney General Ken Paxton in his revenge campaign to oust those after his impeachment. Phelan advanced to a May 28 contest with Covey, an oil and gas consultant and party activist.
Neither candidate, including retired hairdresser Alicia Davis, could win a majority for outright victory in Tuesday’s race. “Let this runoff be a rallying cry for all conservatives across Texas,” Paxton said. According to him, there is now a battle line, and the resolve has never been stronger.
A historic 2023 Texas Senate trial cleared Paxton of corruption and abuse of office allegations. He blames Phelan for leading that effort and has mounted a political revenge campaign to oust the House leader and others who backed the attempt to relieve him of his position.
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Paxton’s campaign to defeat rivals in his own party tested his clout and that of his biggest backer, Trump. Paxton, who won a third term in 2022, was not on the Super Tuesday ballot. However, many believe his attempt to overthrow the House leadership was a bid to push an already conservative chamber further to the right.
Paxton’s overall success is still unknown. Paxton endorsed challengers in more than 30 House races, and his candidates had ousted at least five House members and forced at least five more into runoffs. Yet several of Phelan’s House leadership team fended off challenges.
The runoff, nonetheless, struck a heavy blow to Phelan, who, through two terms, led the Republican-majority House as it passed some of the toughest policies in the nation. But that wasn’t enough for some state Republicans.
The state party censured Phelan last month for his vote to impeach Paxton, accusing him of a “lack of fidelity to Republican principles and priorities.” Paxton narrowly got past allegations of corruption and abuse of office. But afterward, the attorney general switched to fierce, bare-knuckle campaign attacks on dozens of Republican lawmakers.
Phelan fought back in blunt and often personal terms against Paxton. Campaign ads reminded voters of the corruption and abuse of office allegations that led to the impeachment trial. Additional spots reminded voters of a Paxton extramarital affair.
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“The barrage aimed at our campaign over the past year was meant to be my undoing, and yet here I am, emerging from the most contentious and expensive primary in state history, still fighting and more determined than ever,” Phelan said.
Paxton draws support for his endorsed candidates from Trump. His intensive and broad campaign of political revenge has caused third-party groups to make huge donations to the campaign. “Today’s election results have revealed that the battle for the soul of Texas is far from over,” Paxton said.
He continues to face legal issues, with one trial scheduled for April on felony securities fraud charges. Upon conviction, it could land him in prison for 90 years. He is also facing an ongoing federal probe involving some of the same allegations from his impeachment.
Paxton wasn’t the only Republican attacking fellow Republicans in Tuesday’s primaries. Abbott also went for nearly two dozen incumbents who helped derail his plan to spend tax money on private schools.
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Three female judges on the Court of Criminal Appeals targeted by Paxton also lost. They were part of an 8-1 majority that left Paxton without the power to prosecute voter fraud unless he had permission from local prosecutors. Paxton thinks they are “activist” judges after the court majority ruled the law violated the state Constitution’s separation of powers.
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