AUSTIN, Texas — State Rep. Dr. Tom Oliverson announced his candidacy for speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Thursday morning in Austin.
“The status quo is too dysfunctional to continue, and a change from top to bottom is needed,” Oliverson said.
For Oliverson to face off against current House Speaker Dade Phelan, Phelan first has to win his primary runoff election in May. His opponent, David Covey, is backed by top Republican leaders, including former President Donald Trump.
But at a semiconductor event in Dallas earlier this week, Phelan said he’s confident he'll still be the speaker after the runoff.
“I’ve got a path to victory, I know what my path is and we’re going to execute on it,” Phelan said. “I feel very confident about the next session and being Speaker of the House.”
"Dysfunction" in the House
Oliverson is motivated to defeat Phelan based on two major issues that he says contributed to the “dysfunction” in the House this legislative session. He said first is the failure to pass school vouchers and second is the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, which Oliverson said took many House members by surprise.
“None of us knew this was going to happen until it happened, except for the people that were working on it,” Oliverson said.
Oliverson was absent on the day of the impeachment vote, when the majority of House Republicans voted to impeach the AG.
If he becomes speaker, Oliverson said his top priorities will be passing school vouchers and ending a decades-old House tradition of allowing both Republicans and Democrats to chair committees.
“I, myself, in the two terms that Dade Phelan has been speaker, have experienced, in both sessions, my legislation being killed by a Democrat chair,” Oliverson said.
He said not having the majority hold all committee chair positions has created a pattern of delay and dysfunction within the chamber.
What are Texas House Democrats saying?
State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, slammed Oliverson's bid for speaker, saying Oliverson hates bipartisanship. Martinez Fischer said he looks forward to debating Oliverson on the committee chair tradition.
"Representative Oliverson asserted that his top two priorities are passing private school voucher scams and dissolving bipartisan leadership in the Texas House, ending a House tradition that goes back to Sam Houston in the 8th Legislative Session – and Tom Oliverson is no Sam Houston," Martinez Fischer said.
The Texas House Democrats' full statement on Oliverson's announcement can be read below:
“Today, Rep. Tom Oliverson announced his intention to run for Speaker of the House. In the first sixty-seconds of his remarks, Rep. Oliverson asserted that his two top priorities are passing private school voucher scams and dissolving bipartisan leadership in the Texas House, ending a House tradition that goes back to Sam Houston in the 8th Legislative Session—and Tom Oliverson is no Sam Houston.
"As Rep. Oliverson takes his campaign to the body, I look forward to debating him on his new-found hate for bipartisanship in the House—name the time and place. I look forward to reminding him that perhaps his greatest legislative achievement was ending Surprise Medical Billing, a bill he worked on with myself and Democratic Chair Eddie Lucio III to pass. Members are smarter than the Dan Patrick approved talking points.
"Bottom line is that the Texas House is, and always will be, a deliberative body that employs the talents of all people from all walks of life. The People’s house doesn’t belong to any one party—it belongs to those who want to make a difference."
What are Phelan's thoughts on Oliverson's bid?
When Phelan was in Dallas, he defended his leadership style, taking shots at Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has become one of his biggest critics.
“The will of the House is what runs the House,” Phelan said. “The members set the agenda. I don’t ramrod through my personal pet projects. Maybe that’s how it works in the Senate, but that’s not how it’s going to work in the House. Not as long as I’m the speaker.”
Phelan’s primary runoff election against Covey happens on May 28. If Covey wins, Phelan would be the first Texas Speaker to lose a primary in 52 years.
Phelan sent KVUE the following statement in response to Oliverson's candidacy announcement:
"My focus remains on reelecting our Republican colleagues in runoffs and strengthening our majority in the Texas House. As Speaker, I’m focused on winning these races, getting our team over the finish line and ensuring we start the session united and ready to deliver another banner conservative session for Texans. That’s the job of the Texas Speaker, and it’s where my focus is and will continue to be."
Oliverson said he officially filed his declaration of candidacy with the Texas Ethics Commission Thursday morning and began his campaign immediately. When asked if he’s talked to Gov. Abbott about his announcement, he said he hasn’t specifically talked to him, but he’s sure they will have much to discuss.