Paddie withdraws bid for speaker

State Rep. Chris Paddie, R-Marshall, has withdrawn his bid to become Speaker of the Texas House, instead, backing Dade Phelan, a Republican from Beaumont who filed to run Sunday.

Citing the Republicans’ victories Tuesday in the Texas House, Paddie announced on Twitter that he was proud of the way Texans responded.

“I have enjoyed visiting with my colleagues about the direction of the Texas House in recent days and I am optimistic about the House’s future,” Paddie tweeted Wednesday morning. “Now that the results are in, I have decided to end my candidacy for Speaker and enthusiastically support my friend Dade Phelan.”

Paddie announced Oct. 28 that he had filed for the speakership.

At a news conference Wednesday in Austin, Phelan said that he has a “supermajority of the Republican caucus and a broad coalition of support” from Democrats.

Phelan currently serves as Chair of the House Committee on State Affairs. He has previously served on the Natural Resources Committee as Vice-Chair, Calendars Committee, Appropriations Committee, Elections Committee and on the Select Committee on Ports, Innovation and Infrastructure.

Texas GOP Chair Allen West said Monday that the state party “will not support, nor accept” state Rep. Dade Phelan as the next speaker of the Texas House, after the Beaumont Republican said last week he has the votes to win the gavel according to the Texas Tribune.

“Texas will not allow the undermining of our ‘Texas Republic.’ This is why the Republican Party of Texas is perplexed, and will not support, a potential Texas Speaker of the House who would seek affirmation from progressive socialist Democrats to attain that position,” West wrote, calling it “utterly absurd and demonstrably idiotic” that a Republican would join with Democrats to lead the GOP-controlled House.

Phelan released a bipartisan list of 83 members supporting his candidacy according to the Texas Tribune and is more than enough votes needed to attain the speakership when the Legislature convenes in January.

Also running for the Texas House Speakership are Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) and John Cyrier (R-Lockhart) who hope to replace Republican House Speaker Dennis Bonnen who is retiring after serving one term.