Dade Phelan directs House leaders to revisit vouchers, property taxes in the next legislative session
The Beaumont Republican issued his interim charges even as it remains unclear whether he’ll be reelected. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan speaks with other represenatives during a special legislative session at the state capitol in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2023.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
False ad depicting Dade Phelan with Nancy Pelosi could inspire new anti-deepfake legislation
A mailer, paid for by the Jeff Yass-bankrolled Club for Growth Action PAC, falsely depicted Phelan in a hug with former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Full Story
![House Speaker Dade Phelan stands at the dias during a special legislative session at the state capitol in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2023.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House GOP hardliners issue list of demands for a next speaker
The two dozen Republican signatories called on the next House leader to commit to their list of conservative demands that served as a repudiation of Speaker Dade Phelan. Full Story
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![An empty House chamber, prior the start of the special session on Thursday, July 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for the Texas Tribune -
Former Texas House speaker says GOP megadonor Tim Dunn told him only Christians should hold leadership positions
Straus, who is Jewish, publicly confirmed the conversation for the first time Thursday. It had previously been reported by Texas Monthly. Full Story
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![Sandi Villarreal, deputy editor for digital at Texas Monthly, moderates a panel with US Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and former speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 24, 2022 in Austin, TX.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Influential conservative PAC targets Phelan, other House Republicans
Club for Growth announced it will spend $4 million on a TV ad targeting five anti-school voucher Texas House Republicans. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan in his office in Beaumont on Jan 26, 2024.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
House Speaker Dade Phelan’s immigration record central in bid to oust him
The Beaumont Republican’s foes are trying to paint him as soft on the border, even after last year’s passage of far-reaching laws and record border funding. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, announces he has the votes to be elected the next speaker of the Texas House at a press conference at the Capitol in Austin on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Once the Texas GOP’s “weak link,” Attorney General Ken Paxton is growing more popular and powerful
With his impeachment and securities fraud case behind him, Paxton’s political stock is on the rise. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton endorses David Covey at an event in Beaumont on Monday, Jan 15, 2024. Covey is running against House Speaker Dade Phelan in the Republican primary.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Tom Oliverson announces he is challenging Dade Phelan for Texas House speakership
Oliverson, one of Phelan’s committee chairmen, said the speaker has lost the confidence of the Republican caucus. Full Story
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![State Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, announces his candidacy for Texas House speakership during a press conference Thursday, March 21, 2024, in Austin.]()
Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott appears with embattled House Speaker Dade Phelan for first time in heated primary season
Abbott has so far been silent as Phelan battles for political survival in a tough primary runoff. Full Story
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![Newly-elected House Speaker Dade Phelan greets Gov. Greg Abbott before speaking to the Texas House during opening ceremonies as the 2021 Texas Legislature gets down to work in Austin on Jan. 12, 2021.]()
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Texas legislative committee to investigate cause of Panhandle wildfires
The panel of three lawmakers and two residents will also look at disaster preparedness. Full Story
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![Charred ground left by the Smokehouse Creek fire after the fire burned through Currie Smith’s ranch Sunday, March. 3, 2024, in Hemphill County, Texas.]()
Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune -
House Speaker Dade Phelan took a risk on Paxton’s impeachment. It may end his career.
The May 28 runoff promises to be an expensive, high-profile contest that will help reshape the political dynamics of the Texas House. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan gavels out the 88th session Sine Die on May 29, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan heading to runoff against hardline conservative challenger
Phelan was neck and neck with GOP challenger David Covey with votes still being counted. Full Story
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![Beaumont, Texas: Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Dade Phelan poses for a portrait at his office in Beaumont on Friday, Jan 26, 2024.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Rick Perry stumps for Speaker Dade Phelan in final days of primary election
Donald Trump endorsed Phelan’s opponent, putting Perry at odds with the former president he served under as energy secretary. Full Story
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![Former Gov. Rick Perry and Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan mingle with supporters during a Get Out the Vote Rally on Thursday, February 29, 2024, in Vidor, Texas. Deep fissures within the Republican Party have placed Phelan as the No. 1 enemy of Texas’ far-right conservatives.]()
Credit: Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribune -
Texas GOP leaders reverse course, ban antisemites from party
The party’s executive committee also formally censured House Speaker Dade Phelan on Saturday. Full Story
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![Republican Party emblems and signs at the Republican Party of Texas office in downtown Austin.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Speaker Dade Phelan forcefully defends Ken Paxton impeachment in campaign ad
Facing heat for presiding over the impeachment of the attorney general, Phelan is addressing the issue head-on and citing an alleged Paxton extramarital affair. Full Story
![House Speaker Dade Phelan beckons at another member of the House during a special legislative session at the state Capitol in Austin on Nov. 17, 2023.]()
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School voucher opponents are unpopular with Texas GOP primary voters, poll finds
In a University of Houston poll, nearly half also signaled they didn’t support Republican incumbents who voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton. Full Story
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![Bonham Middle School students eat lunch in the school’s cafeteria Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
House Speaker Dade Phelan, enemy of the far-right, faces toughest reelection yet
Attorney General Ken Paxton, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and former President Donald Trump are accusing Phelan of being a “RINO,” even as Phelan has overseen the passage of some of the most conservative bills in recent history. Full Story
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![Beaumont, Texas: Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Dade Phelan poses for a portrait at his office in Beaumont on Friday, Jan 26, 2024. Mark Felix/The Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Donald Trump endorses challenger to Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan
Phelan’s reelection campaign has become a referendum on the power of the far-right faction of the state Republican Party. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump speaks at an event at the South Texas International Airport in Edinburg, on Nov. 19, 2023, after Gov. Greg Abbott announced his endorsement of President Trump. “We need Donald J. Trump back as our president of the United States of America,” the governor proclaimed.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas man arrested after threatening House Speaker Dade Phelan
Texas Department of Public Safety arrested Daniel Troy Leblanc earlier this month after the Orange County resident made “terroristic threats” on social media. Full Story
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![A news headline on the side of The Examiner building in downtown Beaumont on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Money flows into Texas House GOP primary battles this season
Impeachment and school vouchers are animating the races as Speaker Dade Phelan tries to protect incumbents. Full Story
![House Speaker Dade Phelan speaks with other representatives during a special legislative session at the state capitol in Austin on Nov. 17, 2023.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune
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