In a Texas primary contest with national implications, GOP heavy hitters are uniting to oust Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan from office on Super Tuesday.
The Republican speaker faces the fight of his political career with former President Donald Trump and Texas GOP leaders backing Mr. Phelan’s main primary opponent, David Covey, in the March 5 Republican primary.
Mr. Phelan poked more than one bear in 2023, angering many grassroots Republicans during the last Texas legislative session by leading the House impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, and failing to push GOP legislative priorities such as school choice.
The outcome of Mr. Phelan’s race stands to be a referendum on the influence of the party’s most conservative members. It could offer a glimpse into the future of the national Republican Party, according to Brendan Steinhauser, a partner with the political consulting firm Steinhauser Strategies in Austin, Texas….
