Former Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan on Thursday said his decision to drop his bid for another term leading the lower chamber last year was rooted in his disapproval of President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Phelan, a Beaumont Republican who served two terms as speaker, narrowly survived a primary challenge last year from an opponent endorsed by Trump. He later declined to seek reelection as speaker amid opposition from within his own party.
In August, Phelan announced he wasn’t going to run for reelection to his southeast Texas House district. Trump earlier this week posted on Truth Social: “Fortunately for the Great State of Texas, their Former Speaker, who is no longer Speaker, Dade Phelan, is quitting Politics.”
Phelan at a Texas Tribune Festival event Thursday said it wasn’t anything new to have the president come after him.
“That’s fine,” Phelan said. “It’s not a secret I am not a MAGA Republican. I never have been a MAGA Republican. I’m not a Donald Trump guy. Again, it’s the reason I decided not to be speaker again. I could not carry his agenda through the Texas House.”
Phelan said that it felt “phenomenal” not to be running for office again. But he said he was concerned for the Republican Party as it headed into the midterms, where the party that controls the White House generally doesn’t do well. He noted that prices weren’t going down — “regardless of what Mr. Trump says” — and health care costs were set to rise next year with the looming expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits, spelling political trouble for his party.
“We’ve got to get a handle on this or we’re going to have a very messy, very messy November of next year,” he said.
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.