The speaker of the Texas House, Dade Phelan, emerged victorious in a hard-fought runoff on Tuesday, defeating a challenger backed by former President Donald J. Trump and his Texas supporters. The race, which took place in a southeast Texas district including part of Beaumont, was marked by intense political maneuvering and record-breaking campaign spending.
Millions of dollars poured into the campaigns, with wealthy donors from both inside and outside Texas throwing their support behind the candidates. Despite being initially behind in the first round of voting, Phelan managed to rally his supporters and secure a win in the runoff.
In his victory speech, Phelan denounced the tactics used against him during the campaign, calling them “lies” and “deceit.” He declared that his district was not for sale and vowed to continue serving his constituents.
The close call for Phelan, who had not faced a challenger in a decade, is expected to have lasting implications for Republican politics in Texas. Many activist Republicans view Phelan as too moderate and have been pushing for a more conservative agenda in the state House.
The battle for control of the Texas House is far from over, with potential replacements for Phelan already being suggested. As the dust settles from this contentious primary race, all eyes will be on the upcoming legislative session and the future of the Texas Republican Party.
