RICHARDSON, Texas — Tuesday marked the first time Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan addressed his primary challenge and upcoming runoff against David Covey, with WFAA since Super Tuesday.
In five terms, the speaker never drew a reelection opponent. Two issues stand at the heart of this election challenge: Phelan leading the push to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was later acquitted by the senate. Second, his position on school vouchers.
Both issues led to public calls for Phelan to resign and ultimately, a primary challenge in Covey.
Covey argues the speaker has lost his way and questions his conservative credentials. WFAA asked Phelan what it says about the state of the republican party in Texas that he is in a runoff at all.
“That’s a great question. I’ve delivered on conservative policies. No one can deny that. No one can objectively deny that I’ve not delivered on conservative policies. I’ve delivered for my district like no one ever has. I’m the first speaker in the history of southeast Texas. We’ve never had a governor. We’ve never had a lieutenant governor. We’ve never had a speaker in 187 years. I’ve delivered on all those. This is an inflection point. This is certain individuals who have an axe to grind with me because I let the house be the house. The will of the house is what runs the house. The members set the agenda. I don’t ramrod through my personal pet projects. Maybe that’s how it works in the senate but that’s not how it’s going to work in the house, not as long as I’m the speaker," Phelan said.
Since neither of them secured a majority of votes, there will be a runoff for the Beaumont-area District 21. The third-place finisher, Alicia Davis, has since endorsed Covey.
If Covey wins the runoff – Phelan would be the first Texas speaker to lose a primary in 52 years.
The primary runoffs are on May 28.
