AUSTIN, Texas — Tensions among Texas Republicans are reaching a new boiling point, a week after Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted in his impeachment trial. There are now growing calls for House Speaker Dade Phelan to resign.
Experts say it’s only the beginning of a long season of political revenge.
“Phelan’s decision to push through the articles of impeachment reignited the GOP civil war, and now it's in full escalation mode,” Mark Jones with Rice said.
The Texas GOP is at war with itself, making its boldest move yet. The executive committee passed a resolution calling for House Speaker Dade Phelan to resign.
“I would expect the Republican civil war to be at a fever pitch between now and the March primaries,” Jones said.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is back on the job, zeroing in on his political enemies, posting to social media Saturday that Phelan should resign or be removed from office.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presided over Paxton's impeachment, also piled on Phelan, posting that he’s “unworthy of his leadership position.”
“What we're seeing is pressure building up on Phelan,” Jones said.
Phelan is not exactly holding back either, writing a pointed op-ed in the Beaumont Enterprise, attacking Patrick and the GOP-led Texas Senate saying, “The fix was in from the start.”
Senator Ted Cruz was asked was about the GOP infighting Saturday.
“It's also bad for Texas if we have multiple elected Republicans just firing cannons at each other and engaging in retribution,” he said. “There are a lot of pretty hot emotions on both sides of this divide. My hope is everyone will just count to ten and breathe.”
A ceasefire is unlikely. Paxton is making it clear he's targeting state Republicans in the Texas House and even considering taking aim at Senator John Cornyn.
“I think it's time somebody needs to step up and run against this guy that will do the job and do it the right way and represent us,” Paxton said during an interview with Tucker Carlson.
Jones doesn't view that as a serious threat.
“Paxton essentially was in full retaliation mode,” he said. “A lot of it is hot air.”
Cornyn office said he's focused on other matters and not Ken Paxton. We also reached out to Speaker Dade Phelan's office about calls for him to resign. And as of now, we have not heard back.