Good morning,

Are Republican lawmakers finding House Speaker Dade Phelan to be toxic in their districts?

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, January 18, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Cruz Endorses Trump as Presidential Contest Narrows

• After winning the Iowa caucus this week, Donald Trump has added Texas' Ted Cruz to his list of endorsements. Amelia McKenzie has the report.
     
• Cruz called on Republicans to unite behind Trump and “beat Joe Biden.”
      
• President Trump already had the endorsements of Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton, Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.

Campaign Contributions Expose Rift Between Governor and Speaker

• Even as he fends off his own GOP primary challengers, House Speaker Dade Phelan is sending campaign contributions to several embattled members of the Texas House—including those opposed by Gov. Greg Abbott. Brandon Waltens examined Phelan's political donations.
      
• Newly released campaign finance reports—which cover the second half of 2023—reveal that Phelan contributed to 21 members of the Texas House. Of those, 16 received cash and five "in-kind" services like polling.
      
• Notably, six of the members—Bailes, Darby, Holland, Rogers, Kuempel, and VanDeaver—opposed Abbott’s push for school choice legislation. Abbott has already endorsed the opponents of both Darby and Rogers.

Minute Analysis: Is Phelan Toxic for House Members?

• An unspoken job description for the Speaker of the Texas House is that he works to support the re-election of the members—especially those in his party. But the unpopularity of Speaker Dade Phelan, both at home and around the state, has lawmakers working to keep their distance.
        
• For example, shortly after joining 61 Democrats and 60 Republicans in voting to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, State Rep. Ellen Troxclair (R-Lakeway) held a “fundraising reception” for herself. The “special guest” she listed to draw in monied Austin donors? Speaker Phelan.
       
• Just three months later, though, Troxclair was asked in an email from a constituent about her relationship with Phelan. She was emphatic in her written reply: “I have never taken any campaign contributions or support from [Phelan].”
         
• As Troxclair’s comical denial of support from the speaker suggests, some lawmakers are aware enough of disapproval at home to not want the baggage associated with Phelan.
        
• The Austin Sewer has never been more toxic to the interests of Texas’ Republican voters. The manner in which incumbents navigate the days until the March 5 primary might indicate what kind of speaker will next emerge for the Texas House.

McKinney Mayor Wants to Extend City's Term Limits

• McKinney Mayor George Fuller is pushing a proposal that will allow him and other city officials to hold their seats for three consecutive four-year terms, an increase from the current limit of two consecutive terms. Erin Anderson has the details.

      
• During a work session this week, Fuller and the rest of the city council discussed holding a charter amendment election this May to extend the term limits for their offices.
        
• City taxpayers at the meeting were not impressed with the arguments. “Term limits help prevent any one individual from accumulating massive power,” said one. 
       
• A change in the city's term limits will require a change in the charter, which must be approved by voters in the May election.

Texas Tomorrow: Changing Local Government

• In the latest edition of his show Texas Tomorrow, Charles Blain explores the importance of citizen-led initiatives in local government. 
   
• "Many of us believe that elections are the only way to force change at the local level, but there are many ways for citizens to reform their governments," he explains. "If we know what tools are available to us, we can take advantage of them and use them to improve our communities."
      
• Catch new episodes of Texas Tomorrow with Charles Blain each Thursday.

League City Special Election Heads to Runoff

• The special election to fill an unexpired term on the League City Council is heading to a runoff.
      
• Courtney Chadwell, a firefighter and machine operations manager, took first place with 42 percent of the vote in a five-way race. He will face second-place finisher Ange Mertens, who received 18.4 percent of the vote. Mertens is a flight attendant and philanthropist.
       
• The runoff election is expected to be held on Feb. 17.

Teacher Arrested for Inappropriate Relationship with Student

• A special education teacher for Leander Independent School District has been arrested for allegedly engaging in sexual contact with a student. Emily Medeiros has the story.
       
• The incident involving Michael Winters allegedly occurred on Sept. 8 at Leander High School, but district officials did not inform parents until this week via email.
      
• Winters previously worked for Burnet Consolidated Independent School District and the Settlement Home for Children, a charter school run by the University of Texas. After resigning from Burnet CISD in May 2023, he was then employed by Leander ISD in August 2023.

Quote-Unquote

"Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God?"

– Thomas Jefferson

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