Good morning,

No primary runoff race for the Texas House has a higher profile than House District 21, where incumbent Speaker Dade Phelan faces challenger David Covey. In the One Click Survey, we would like to know if you think Gov. Greg Abbott should weigh in on the contest. 

This is the Texas Minute for Tuesday, March 12, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Dan Patrick to Dade Phelan: Drop Out Now

• Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is calling on Dade Phelan to terminate his campaign for re-election. Brandon Waltens has the story. 

       
• David Covey, the former Orange County GOP chairman, received first place with 46.3 percent of the vote, while Speaker Phelan is entering the runoff election with 43.2 percent support. Alicia Davis, a Jasper County activist, received 10.5 percent of the vote on election night last week in the three-way race for House District 21. She has now endorsed Covey in the runoff.
       
• “57% of the District already voted against him. Dade should recognize the obvious and do the right thing by announcing he is terminating his campaign and stopping what is going to be an embarrassing defeat.” - Dan Patrick
       
• The Texas election code states that candidates who wish to withdraw from the runoff election have until three days following the official canvassing to do so. Under this year's calendar, the latest date to withdraw is March 20—but, could be earlier in some instances.

📺 'Come & Take It' Premiere!

• This morning, Sara Gonzales has launched her new show, Come & Take It. Watch it now!
       

• Each week, you'll find out why she's determined to push back against the insanity she sees happening across the state... And how Texas can still be a shining example for the world. New shows will premiere each Tuesday.

Schools Struggle To Keep Up With Surge of Illegal Aliens

• Texas schools are struggling to outpace the surge of illegal aliens being enrolled in public education, according to a new report from the Heritage Foundation. Will Biagini has the details.

       
• In 2023, 16,394 unaccompanied minors who crossed into Texas illegally were released by the federal government to "sponsors," who then enrolled them in government schools. The Heritage Foundation estimates that just those illegal aliens cost taxpayers nearly $228 million for one year.
      

• The 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe required that public school districts enroll all minors, regardless of immigration status.

       
• A recent study by the Huffines Liberty Foundation concluded that educating all the illegal aliens in the state is costing Texas taxpayers more than $7 billion each year.

Related News

North Texas Teacher Charged with Sexual Assault of a Child

• A middle school teacher from North Texas has been arrested and charged with the sexual assault of a child. Emily Medeiros reports that the alleged incident occurred in the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD when the teacher was employed there.
      
• David Goggins was booked into the Tarrant County Jail and then released on a $250,000 bond. Reportedly, the victim was an eighth-grade student at the time of the alleged rape. Goggins denies the allegations.
     
• Goggins' current employer, the Northwest Independent School District, sent a note to parents that the district "had no knowledge of the allegations at the time he was hired." He has been placed on administrative leave.

Paxton Sues Biden Over New Rule Regulating Oil and Gas Emissions

• Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued the Biden Administration to stop a new rule by the Environmental Protection Agency that would expand its authority to further regulate the states’ oil and gas industry.
     
• The attorney general said the rule "usurps the States’ role in establishing emissions standards."
     
• “I am challenging this blatant overreach by the Biden Administration and will continue to defend vital sectors of the Texas economy.” – Ken Paxton

Quote-Unquote

"There can be no liberty if there is no economic liberty."

– Margaret Thatcher

ONE CLICK SURVEY

For the first time in more than 50 years, a sitting speaker of the Texas House has been forced into a party primary runoff. House Speaker Dade Phelan placed second in the three-person primary. He now faces David Covey on May 28. Mr. Covey had previously been endorsed by Donald Trump, Ken Paxton, Sid Miller, and nearly every conservative grassroots group in the state.

Curiously silent in the first round was Gov. Greg Abbott. What do you think Gov. Abbott should do in the runoff?

Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!