Phelan was forced into a runoff election by Republican candidate David Covey.
BEAUMONT, Texas — House Speaker Dade Phelan has declared victory over his opponent in a runoff election widely seen as a bellwether for the Texas Republican Party.
“The 21st Congressional District is not for sale,” Phelan told a crowd that gathered to support him in Beaumont on election night.
Several Republican members of Congress from North Texas spent time campaigning for Phelan in Southeast Texas. State Reps. Jeff Leach, Morgan Meyer, Giovanni Capriglione and Jared Patterson each did block walks for Phelan and attended parties for him.
“My wife and children have been exposed to an incredible amount of mail, television and radio. [advertisements]”This is unacceptable behaviour, it’s lies, it’s deception and it’s over,” Phelan said.
Phelan added in his acceptance speech: “This is the story that nobody wants to hear, but I think this runoff was in my favor. It gave me an opportunity to let voters know my true record, what I’ve done over the last 10 years, and what I’ll be doing in 2025.”
After Phelan’s victory, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who had actively campaigned for Covey, issued a statement saying Phelan’s victory was only possible because Democrats voted for him.
Paxton said this is a sign that Texas should require voters to register as either Republican or Democrat and hold party primaries only to those who are registered.
He also used the defeat of several incumbents he had run against to issue an ultimatum to members of the House of Representatives.
“My message to Austin is clear: For those of you considering supporting Dade Phelan for Speaker in 2025, please ask your 15 colleagues who lost their reelection bid how they feel about that decision now,” Paxton said. “If you vote for Dade Phelan again, you’re not coming back.”
Phelan has come under attack from the far right of his party for voting to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton over corruption charges and his failure to pass school voucher legislation.
On Super Tuesday, Phelan received 14,574 votes (43%) to Covey’s 15,589 (46%). Third-place finisher Alicia Davis subsequently endorsed Covey.
Phelan, a Beaumont Republican, is one of the state’s most powerful elected officials. He placed second in the first vote on Super Tuesday to challenger David Covey, who was backed by several of Phelan’s political opponents, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
Phelan was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2014 and is serving his fifth term as state representative for the 21st Congressional District, which covers parts of Orange and Jefferson and Jasper counties. He was elected Speaker of the House in 2021.
During Phelan’s two terms as speaker, the House banned abortion, legalized unauthorized gun possession, outlawed DEI initiatives, barred transgender minors from receiving procedures to help them transition, and approved millions of dollars for Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star at the Texas border.
But following the House impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton and his resistance to a school voucher plan, Phelan has come under fire from members of his own party for not being conservative enough.
Former President Donald Trump and Mr. Paxton both endorsed Mr. Covey, who campaigned with him.
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick not only donated money to Covey’s campaign, but he has also repeatedly and vocally criticized Phelan in interviews and speeches.
Patrick and a group of others argue that Phelan is following a tradition of giving House Democrats voting power for committee chair and chairman roles, giving them undue influence.
