Most of us believe the Texas Republican majority controls state government.  Democrats have not won a statewide office in almost 30 years.  Despite holding only 42% of the House, Democrats control much of the chamber’s business.

And what have the Democrats done with that power?

• Border Security Blocked or Diminished
• Election Integrity Diminished
• School Choice Blocked
• Property Tax Relief Blocked or Diminished

How did it happen?

It happened because every Democrat voted for Dade Phelan to be the Republican Speaker.  Threats and political favors got Phelan the handful of Republican votes he needed for a majority.  He awarded 1/3 of the committee chairs to Democrats, including oversight of crime and education and government policy and much more.

Of the 150 members of the Texas House of Representatives in the last legislative session, 86 were Republicans and 64 were Democrats. 76 votes, or 50% plus one, are required to be elected Speaker of the House.

Because the Speaker appoints the chairman of every committee, he has tremendous control of everything that happens.

Democrats shut down the last legislative session and fled to Washington for six weeks to prevent an election integrity bill.  Yet they were never held accountable.  Democrats act like they own Dade Phelan.

Worse yet, Republicans act like Phelan owns them as they surrender to his Democrat support.

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The Speaker of the Texas House appoints all committee chairs, and he appoints half of the membership of each committee.  His control over House legislation is unchallenged.

The majority party normally controls all committee chairmanships, but not in Texas.  Dade appointed Democrats to critical committee chairmanships.  Democrats currently control 13 of the 34 House committees, including 

• Business and Industry
• Corrections
• County Affairs
• Criminal Jurisprudence
• House Administration
• Transportation
• Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
• Land & Resource Management
• Licensing & Administrative Procedures
• Natural Resources
• Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services
• Public Education
• Urban Affairs

How do we stop Dade Phelan’s destruction of the will of Texas voters?

Tony Tinderholt is also a candidate for Speaker.  Tony has pledged to the Republican platform, and he will appoint only Republican committee chairs.