State Representatives Tom Oliverson and Shelby Slawson spoke against incumbent Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan during a panel at the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival Friday.
The representatives, both running against Phelan for the House speakership in January, criticized Phelan for compromising with Democratic State Representatives while also calling for Republican Party unity in both chambers of the state legislature.
State Rep. David Cook, who entered the speaker race Tuesday, was also invited to participate in the panel but declined to appear.
Oliverson said a key factor behind the speaker race is not necessarily who has the best platform, given he and Slawson share many of the same views, but rather who would best unite the Republicans in the state house.
Both candidates said they would not give chairmanships to Democratic state house members if elected state house speaker.
“Texas is the only supermajority state that has a divided House in terms of leadership,” Oliverson said. “Nobody else does what we do in terms of giving chairmanships to the minority party. We’re not setting a trend here, we’re at the tail end of history.”
Texas Democrats currently chair eight of the 34 state committees. Reducing the number of Democratic committee chairs would make the legislating process more efficient for both parties, Slawson said, and would also reduce the need for special sessions, which she said are burdens for Texas taxpayers.
Slawson said Phelan’s speakership has not only lacked clear direction for state Republicans, but also put Republican members at odds with their own party, citing the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as an example.
“It was a very small group of people that had any idea what was going on,” Slawson said. “When you take on an issue of that magnitude, you really need to have the involvement of all 150 members of that chamber. … That’s a significant issue, and it shouldn’t come on a Tuesday for action on a Saturday.”
Oliverson added that the impeachment trial was rushed and needed more time in the legislature before it could be properly decided.
Although both representatives said they would support whoever is selected speaker by the Republican caucus, Oliverson said Phelan does not have the votes to remain House speaker.
“More than half the caucus has already committed not to support a candidate who will appoint Democrat chairs,” Oliverson said. “That means (Phelan) can’t win the caucus. It’s not possible.”
