The presumptive GOP presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, endorsed first-time candidate David Covey (a former Orange County Republican Party chairman) in the Texas GOP primary against incumbent State Representative and House Speaker Dade Phelan, who led the impeachment of MAGA loyalist and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on corruption and bribery charges last year.
Covey losses and responded to the loss poorly. He said: “Not only has Dade Phelan failed Texans across the state, but he has also stolen this election from the hardworking people of our district…Republicans must demand now that we close our primaries from Democrats.” (Texas is an open primary state: both Republicans and Democrats can vote.)
Covey added, “We took out almost every incumbent Republican tonight, and with a closed primary, we could have taken them all down.”
My message to Austin is clear: to those considering supporting Dade Phelan as Speaker in 2025, ask your 15 colleagues who lost re-election how they feel about their decision now. You will not return if you vote for Dade Phelan again! pic.twitter.com/AkEX9eqUvk
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) May 29, 2024
AG Paxton responded to the loss by echoing Covey’s words and wrote that Phelan “has blatantly stolen” the election by “courting Democratic support in his district.”
Paxton also threatened members of the Texas legislature: “You will not return if you vote for Dade Phelan again!”
Paxton added: “This treachery is a slap in the face to every true Republican.”