Changes

| office=[[Speaker]] of the<br> [[Texas]] House of Representatives

| office=[[Speaker]] of the<br> [[Texas]] House of Representatives

| term_start=January 12, 2021

| term_start=January 12, 2021

| predecessor=[[Dennis Bonnen]]

| preceded=[[Dennis Bonnen]]

| succeeded=[[Dustin Burrows]]

| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]

| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]

| office2=Texas State Representative<br> for District 21 (Jasper, Jefferson,<br> and Orange counties)

| office2=Texas State Representative<br> for District 21 (Jasper, Jefferson,<br> and Orange counties)

[[University of Texas at Austin]]}}

[[University of Texas at Austin]]}}

'''Matthew McDade Phelan''' (pronounced FEE-lun, born September 18, 1975), a [[real estate]] developer from [[Beaumont]], is a [[RINO]] who became the first [[Speaker]] of the [[Texas]] House of Representatives in 52 years to be forced into a runoff in his own primary, after initially losing 46-43% to a 34-year-old [[conservative]] challenger.<ref>https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/07/dade-phelan-texas-speaker-david-covey-paxton/</ref><ref>https://results.texas-election.com/races</ref>

'''Matthew McDade Phelan''' (pronounced FEE-lun, born September 18, 1975), a [[real estate]] developer from [[Beaumont]], is a [[RINO]] who became the first [[Speaker]] of the [[Texas]] House of Representatives in 52 years to be forced into a runoff in his own primary, after initially losing 46 to 43 percent to a 34-year-old [[conservative]] challenger.<ref>https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/07/dade-phelan-texas-speaker-david-covey-paxton/</ref><ref>https://results.texas-election.com/races</ref>

Phelan represents District 21 (located in the southeastern corner of the state, an area commonly known as the '''Golden Triangle''')  Unlike the [[U.S. House of Representatives]], where the party in the majority elects the [[Speaker of the House]] without cross-over voting allowed, the Speaker of the Texas House is typically elected mostly by [[Democrat]]s and [[liberal]] [[Republicans]], even though the Republican Party holds the majority. The same scenario existed in Louisiana prior to the election in 2023 of Republican [[Jeff Landry]] as governor.

Phelan represents District 21 (located in the southeastern corner of the state, an area commonly known as the '''Golden Triangle''')  Unlike the [[U.S. House of Representatives]], where the party in the majority elects the [[Speaker of the House]] without cross-over voting allowed, the Speaker of the Texas House is typically elected mostly by [[Democrat]]s and [[liberal]] [[Republicans]], even though the Republican Party holds the majority. The same scenario existed in Louisiana prior to the election in 2023 of Republican [[Jeff Landry]] as governor.

In May 2023, state Attorney General [[Ken Paxton]] called for Phelan's resignation after the Speaker appeared inebriated while presiding over the House.<ref name="Intoxicated"/> Paxton also said that Phelan has repeatedly blocked many conservative measures in the House which were already approved in the state Senate under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thelibertydaily.com/ken-paxton-calls-on-texas-house-speaker-dade-phelan-to-resign-after-debilitating-intoxication/|title=Ken Paxton Calls on Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan to Resign After "Debilitating Intoxication"|author=J. D. Rucker|date=May 23, 2023|accessdate=May 24, 2023}}</ref>  However, the call for Phelan's resignation came '''''after''''' the House Committee on General Investigating announced that Paxton was the subject of an ongoing investigation into misuse of his office.

In May 2023, state Attorney General [[Ken Paxton]] called for Phelan's resignation after the Speaker appeared inebriated while presiding over the House.<ref name="Intoxicated"/> Paxton also said that Phelan has repeatedly blocked many conservative measures in the House which were already approved in the state Senate under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thelibertydaily.com/ken-paxton-calls-on-texas-house-speaker-dade-phelan-to-resign-after-debilitating-intoxication/|title=Ken Paxton Calls on Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan to Resign After "Debilitating Intoxication"|author=J. D. Rucker|date=May 23, 2023|accessdate=May 24, 2023}}</ref>  However, the call for Phelan's resignation came '''''after''''' the House Committee on General Investigating announced that Paxton was the subject of an ongoing investigation into misuse of his office.

In the primary held on March 5, 2024, Phelan, strongly opposed by Paxton, ran second to the conservative David Covey. The two meet in a May runoff election to decide the Republican legislative nominationn.

In the primary held on March 5, 2024, Phelan, strongly opposed by Paxton, ran second to the conservative David Covey. Phelan then defeated Covey in a May runoff election to decide the Republican legislative nomination.

==References==

==References==