Dade Phelan

The Republican governor will serve his term with an expanded Republican majority in the Texas House and Senate, making it unlikely that his priorities will face significant roadblocks.

Appointing Democrats to key leadership roles has made House Speaker Dade Phelan the target of criticism by members of his own party. During Wednesday’s debate on House rules, more than 30 Republican activists sat in the gallery wearing red shirts that said “Ban Democratic Chairs!”

Addressing the freshman class, Phelan asked lawmakers to "not confuse this body with the one in Washington, D.C."