A lively crowd of enthusiastic residents from all around East Texas cheered Monday as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton took to the microphone at an event focused on what he said is holding Republican representatives accountable.
“The question really is pretty simple … We’re asking our Republican state representatives … to vote with the Republicans to elect a Republican leader, and if you can’t do that, what can I trust you to do on behalf of our beliefs?” Paxton said Monday night at the Holiday Inn on South Broadway in Tyler.
Paxton is on a statewide tour, visiting Texas House districts where he says incumbent state representatives are undermining the Republican Party. According to Paxton, these lawmakers are striking deals with Democrats to obstruct the election of a Texas House Speaker supported by a majority of Republicans ahead of the 2025 legislative session.
Co-hosted by Grassroots America – We the People Political Action Committee, the event highlighted the speaker’s race. Organizers criticized a group of Republicans for what they believe defies party rules by opposing the GOP’s nominee for speaker Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield).
Conservative leaders JoAnn Fleming and Christine Bentley joined Paxton and Republican Party of Texas Chairman Abraham George to address the conservative agenda at risk if Republicans allow Democrats to influence control of the Texas House during the 89th Legislative Session.
Cook was declared the endorsed candidate for Texas House Speaker by the House GOP Caucus in a 48-14 vote. The decision came after supporters of Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock), walked out of the meeting following a stalemate in the first two rounds of voting.
Bentley, State Republican Executive Committee Woman for Senate District 1, said in a previous interview the division creates the appearance of weak Republican control and gives Democrats too much influence, going against party goals.
She called Burrows’ actions a power play that undermines GOP leadership.
Cook has the caucus endorsement, but Burrows claims to have support from both parties, including Rep. Cole Hefner, R-Mount Pleasant, who continues to support Burrows despite criticism.
“I want the person selected by the Republican caucus. I’m not here to pick the candidates,” Paxton said. “I want a person that is elected by all the Republicans, not a coalition of Democrats. That’s not the way we should work.”
Hefner said his district expects him to support a conservative candidate rather than a moderate selected through alleged backroom deals that did not include all Republicans.
“I have two options for speaker. I have a rural conservative, Dustin Burrows, an early outspoken supporter of Trump who championed conservative issues like banning abortion, constitutional carry, property tax relief and border security,” Hefner said Tuesday in an email. “The other choice is a DFW moderate who voted to ban fracking as mayor, has a dismal conservative voting profile score of 59, and is wishy-washy on allowing parents to choose the best education for their kids.”
To pass conservative policies, Burrows is needed, he added.
Paxton questioned the conservative credentials of Republican lawmakers Cody Harris, Hefner, and Jay Dean, suggesting their actions don’t align with conservative principles or their constituents’ expectations.
“They’re pretty off, and I’m not sure they’re conservative,” Paxton said. “If they were conservative, they would be listening to their own constituents. They would be supporting the Republican candidate, as opposed to working with the Democrats to come up with basically a Democrat-elected speaker that a few Republicans join to have their own personal power.”
He criticized Republican legislators who collaborate with Democrats, arguing it undermines the GOP’s ability to enact its agenda. The Republican majority in the legislature was elected to deliver on key priorities, including property tax relief, school choice, border security and quality education.
“It’s a Republican agenda,” Paxton said. “With a majority, that agenda should get done. If the Democrats control who the speaker is, they have to trade off, and we end up losing our agenda with the Democrats in control.”
Paxton’s remarks reflect frustration within the GOP over internal divisions, collaboration with Democrats and the balance of power within the Texas Legislature.
“Being able to get bills to the floor of the house for an up or down vote is what this whole thing is about. It doesn’t matter how many conservative bills are filed, if they get killed in committee and never come to the floor of the House,” Fleming said.
The process of electing the Speaker of the Texas House begins with separate caucus meetings for Republicans and Democrats, where members nominate and endorse their preferred candidates. While Republicans usually hold a majority, both parties participate in the vote.
On the first day of the legislative session, all 150 House members vote to elect the Speaker, requiring a majority — 76 votes — for a candidate to win. Although caucus support influences the process, bipartisan backing can affect the outcome when there is division within a party.
David Stein, Smith County Republican Chair, said GOP caucus rules state members “should” support the endorsed candidate, not “shall.” He said the caucus is divided, with many members dissenting.
“This tour is about accountability,” Paxon said. “The voters of Texas spoke this past year. They expect a Republican-led majority to elect a Speaker by a majority of Republican state representatives.”
Paxton said incumbents who made similar decisions two years ago, including an attempt to impeach him, are not returning for this legislative session. Paxton warned that those making deals with Democrats to block a Republican majority-elected speaker should expect a primary challenge, stating that Texans deserve leadership that reflects their values.
“There is still time for these incumbents to make the right decision,” Paxton said.
Fleming expressed enthusiasm over the strong turnout for Monday’s event, saying it shows a growing public interest in state politics.
“It exceeded our expectations,” Fleming said. “We’re coming off the holidays, and people have a lot to do, but they came out tonight to hear us talk about something like the speaker’s race in the Texas House. That tells me, after all these years of trying to put the spotlight on Austin, men and women from every walk of life get it now — they understand that what happens in Austin affects their lives and the lives of their children and grandchildren.”
Paxton’s tour, held in conjunction with Republican Party of Texas Chairman George, includes stops in key districts across the state. The tour aims to spotlight representatives who have “fallen short” in upholding conservative principles and are reportedly supporting a speaker not elected by the Republican majority.
As part of his statewide tour, Paxton stopped in Tyler to visit constituents of House District 5, represented by Hefner; House District 7, represented by Dean; and House District 8, represented by Harris.
Paxton also visited Tarrant County, the cities of Leander and The Woodlands.