Republican hard-liners in Texas faced a tough battle in this year’s primary elections, hoping to gain control of the State Legislature. Despite ousting more than a dozen Republican incumbents, they fell just short of their goal.
The Texas House speaker, Dade Phelan, managed to hold onto his position by a slim margin in a runoff election on Tuesday, preventing a swift transformation of the Texas House into a more conservative body. However, the party’s hard right remains confident that their power has yet to peak.
Challengers backed by influential figures like Attorney General Ken Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott were successful in defeating several Republican incumbents, signaling a shift towards a more conservative direction for the party. The Club for Growth, a national conservative anti-tax group, also played a significant role in supporting candidates aligned with their values.
Despite some victories for the old guard of the Republican Party, the overall trend seems to be moving towards a more right-leaning legislature. The upcoming legislative session is anticipated to be one of Texas’ most conservative yet, with potential chaos as the intraparty struggle for control continues.
As the dust settles from the primary elections, the future of the Texas State Legislature remains uncertain. The battle for control within the Republican Party is far from over, setting the stage for a potentially tumultuous 89th legislative session.
