AUSTIN — The pressure on Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan is only increasing since the impeachment trial of the state’s attorney general.
Ken Paxton, who was acquitted on impeachment articles alleging wrongdoing by the Texas Senate, is calling for Phelan to step down from his job after what he has called a “sham impeachment” and the death of multiple bills favored by conservatives during the regular session.
Joining in the call for Phelan’s resignation are former President Donald Trump, multiple far-right lawmakers within the House and state GOP leadership.
Phelan, R-Beaumont, has often been accused by more far-right members of not being conservative enough, leaving him as an odd man out among Texas’ “big three,” which also includes Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
The upcoming special session — which starts Oct. 9 — on school choice and border issues is likely to put even more strain on Phelan’s credentials as speaker.
Phelan has opponents in the Republican primary heading into the 2024 election — the first time he’s faced such a challenge since he was elected in 2014. Paxton has threatened to support Phelan’s opponents. In one of his interviews after the impeachment trial, the attorney general said he would spend “a lot of time” in Beaumont.
Phelan’s office did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the calls for his resignation or his future plans.
But the speaker probably can expect continued scrutiny in the coming months.
“I think he’s lost credibility at this point,” said Abraham George, chairman of the Collin County Republican Party. “A lot of county parties are against him. … Like it or not, when that happens, it may be time for him to step down.”
Much of the recent tension began in May when Paxton sent a seemingly out-of-nowhere statement calling for Phelan’s resignation, accusing the leader of being drunk on the job.
A Phelan spokeswoman quickly shot back at that time that Paxton’s statement was a last-ditch effort to save face as a House ethics panel revealed it was investigating the attorney general. House representatives overwhelmingly voted to impeach Paxton just a few days later.
Phelan has not publicly addressed the more recent calls for him to step down. In an interview with Fox News recently, he spoke only about a surge of migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border. In an op-ed in his hometown newspaper, he lashed out at Patrick and senators for the verdict that cleared Paxton and allowed him to return back to office.
After the op-ed ran, Patrick called Phelan’s essay “disgusting” in a social media post and went even further, saying the editorial “proves he is unworthy of his leadership position.”
Patrick, who oversees the Senate, immediately lashed out at House members for the process and investigation that led to Paxton’s impeachment, and he called for changes to the state constitution because of it.
Phelan immediately shot back, saying the Senate trial was biased and that Paxton’s acquittal was orchestrated from the start.
Meanwhile, the Texas GOP executive committee called on the speaker to resign in a resolution approved on a 58-2 vote last month. The resolution cited Paxton’s impeachment, the death of several bills prioritized by the state’s Republican Party and his appointment of Democrats to chair legislative committees.
In listing knocks against Phelan’s record, some lawmakers and far-right conservative activists point to conservative proposals that he failed to get passed due to the legislative clock running out or procedural tactics from Democrats, such as measures related to border security or efforts to ban discussions of race and racism in higher education.
A spokesman for the Texas GOP did not respond to emailed questions about the speaker.
Soon, lawmakers will return for what could be multiple special sessions for Abbott’s push for legislation allowing for public funds to be used for private school tuition.
A bill that established education savings accounts, included pay raises for teachers and increased money for public schools, died in the House during the regular session following opposition from Democrats and rural Republicans.
County Republican parties are likely to have their own votes in coming weeks that will showcase an unfavorable view of Phelan.
George, the Collin County GOP chairman, said that during his group’s next meeting on Oct. 9, members will vote on resolutions condemning Phelan. Paxton is from Collin County.
“What should be happening with pressure like this from the state party, from other county parties, would help his opponent in the next primary,” George said.
Representatives vote on who should be leader of the Capitol’s lower chamber, and in recent days, some House members have rallied behind a different colleague for the speakership. In January, Phelan comfortably defeated Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, as members elected him to his second term as speaker.
Tinderholt and others were among those posting public support for Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo. Smithee was praised by Patrick for being one of the 23 House members who voted against impeaching Paxton.
Before casting his vote in May, Smithee said the House had not properly followed the rules of evidence in its investigation into the attorney general.
“Rep. Smithee’s speech was one of the most honest and courageous speeches I have ever heard in the House,” Patrick said from the Senate floor moments after Paxton’s acquittal.
Smithee announced his reelection campaign earlier last week and in it acknowledged what a turbulent time it’s been for legislators. In a radio interview Friday, Smithee said he isn’t planning to run for speaker.
GOP Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth said he thinks calls for Phelan’s ouster are wrong and ignore proposals that have become law during the speaker’s tenure, such as Texas six-week restriction on abortions and bans on gender-affirming care, which were conservative priority bills.
“They forget all the conservative legislation that has passed under his leadership,” Geren said. “So either they are misinformed, or they’re ignorant of all the legislation.”
