Challengers sign ‘contract with Texas’ to push the legislature more conservative

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Conservative candidates running to unseat Republicans in the Texas House joined with some of the most conservative representatives in signing the “Contract with Texas,” a commitment to procedural changes like eliminating Democratic committee chairs that they say will make the House more efficient in passing conservative priorities.

“Texans are fundamentally annoyed, frustrated, disappointed with the obstruction, the dysfunction within the Texas House,” GOP nominee for House District 65 Mitch Little said. “Our desire in creating the Contract with Texas is to create a framework where a future speaker is going to have a chance to succeed in ways that are going to inspire Republican voters and empower people in the legislature to do the things that they send us down there to do.”

The contract calls for candidates for House Speaker to solicit support from only Republicans, to strip Democrats from committee chair positions, and give all Republican priorities a vote before considering any Democratic bills.

The contract is signed by representatives Brian Harrison, J.M. Lozano, Nate Schatzline, Tony Tinderholy, and Steve Toth, as well as 18 other conservative candidates.

“What we’re trying to do here with this contract is to put the voters back in charge, be responsive to the will of the voters that have elected Republicans,” State Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, said. “We are trying to reform the House. And my goal is to make it Republican once again.”

Republican Speaker Dade Phelan has heralded the two sessions over which he has presided as the most conservative in Texas history. A strengthening wing of his party pushing to oust him disagrees, pointing to specific conservative legislation that failed to pass.

Harrison and Little point to House Bill 20, a sweeping border security measure that would have created a state border patrol unit. They also point to measures to ban local governments from hiring lobbyists and ban some foreign citizens from buying property.

Hanging over every candidate’s head is “school choice,” or Gov. Greg Abbott’s priority to establish state-funded subsidies for private school tuition.

“I think that voters in Texas will have an opportunity to see those priorities come to fruition under someone else’s leadership,” Little said.

Democrats, however, warn Republicans that instituting the “contract” would come with blowback.

“The people behind that movement, those representatives, in my opinion, they couldn’t lead a silent prayer,” House Democratic Caucus Chair Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, said. “This is just desperate, hyper-partisan tactics… Going back to the days of Sam Houston, there have always been participants from both parties or from multiple parties at the leadership table. That is the process of the Texas House. It’s a deliberative body. And if those representatives don’t like it, I’m sure they can find a vacancy in Congress.”

Martinez Fischer said Democrats may refuse to lend their support to bills that require two-thirds support if their leadership roles are minimized. Constitutional amendments, for example, require 100 votes. Republicans have 86.

“It’s going to be pretty hard to get things done,” he said. “Be careful what you wish for.”

Speaker Dade Phelan faces a competitive primary runoff against David Covey in his Southeast Texas district. That race is on May 29. If he survives re-election, he already faces at least one Republican challenging him for the speakership – Cypress representative Tom Oliverson.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.