House Speaker Dade Phelan of Texas will face a tough fight in a runoff election because his rival has the support of former President Donald Trump.
David Covey received 46% of the vote, compared to Phelan’s 43%. A runoff will be conducted as no candidate achieved 50% of the vote.
Covey previously served as chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County. Reports show that he has the backing of many prominent figures, including Attorney General Ken Paxton, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and former President Donald Trump.
Reports show that Texans were shocked to see Dade Phelan preside over the Texas House while visibly impaired by alcohol in May of 2023. AG Paxton demanded Phelan’s resignation.
Greg Price, writing on X, included a link to footage from the Texas House of Representatives in which Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan seemed to be drunk or suffering from a stroke. Phelan continued speaking until they adjourned, and Price noted that no one paused to inquire about his well-being.
A few days afterward, Dade Phelan, along with other members of the Texas House, voted on a motion to remove Ken Paxton from office.
For the impeachment trial against AG Ken Paxton, the Texas GOP formally censured House Speaker Dade Phelan on February 10, 2024. Fifty-five were in favor, four were against, and four were undecided.
Returning to the Primary, the runoff, according to Paxton, should serve as a rallying call for conservatives in Texas. Their determination has never been greater, and the fight is clearly defined. He believes the outcome of the primary election has shown that the fight for Texas’s identity is still ongoing.
Both of Phelan’s previous elections were handily won. According to one indicator of the primary vote, no speaker of the Texas House has ever lost a primary election since 1972.
Covey said that Phelan was favoring his leftist friends and contributors in the Texas House rather than looking out for his people’s interests. Democrats were appointed to lead House committees, so Covey and his supporters criticized Phelan as a RINO (Republican in Name Only).
The Democrat Party did not have a candidate in the race.
