Despite having a Republican majority in the Texas House, liberal Republicans have created a  power-sharing structure that disproportionately empowers Democrats. The newly passed rules, which include granting Democrat vice-chairs significant authority and creating new standing subcommittees that Democrats can control, were rushed to a vote with little transparency or opportunity for review. Members received the massive 250-page document in the early hours of the morning, leaving no meaningful time to examine or propose amendments.



What followed was a procedural ambush led by House leadership, with State Rep. Jared Patterson invoking the rarely used “motion for the previous question” to cut off debate entirely. The result? An unamended, unchallenged, and heavily criticized set of rules that passed 116-23. This power-sharing framework not only maintains the controversial Democrat vice-chair policy but expands it, further diluting the influence of the Republican voters who sent them there.



For Speaker Dustin Burrows, this vote is clearly a calculated move to reward the Democrats who helped secure his speakership. By maintaining and expanding this power-sharing arrangement, Burrows is signaling gratitude to the minority party, which played a pivotal role in ensuring his rise to power. This blatant act of self-interest comes at the expense of conservative principles and the voters who entrusted Republicans to lead.



Thankfully, not every Republican fell in line with the Speaker. Our state representative, Mike Olcott, stood firm and voted against these rules, demonstrating a commitment to protecting the values of his constituents. While many Republicans caved to leadership’s heavy-handed tactics, Olcott did the right thing by rejecting this betrayal of conservative principles.


As the dust settles on this episode, one thing is clear: the fight for conservative values in the Texas House is far from over. Reform-minded Republicans will need to regroup, hold leadership accountable, and ensure that Texans’ voices are not drowned out by bipartisan deals that empower the opposition.


The stakes are too high to remain silent. Texans must demand transparency, hold their elected officials accountable, and ensure that the Republican majority is not squandered on backroom deals and political paybacks.