A Southeast Texas state representative has announced his intent to run for reelection.
On Wednesday, Texas House Speaker and District 21 Rep. Dade Phelan, 48, announced his plans to run for a sixth term.
“It has been an honor to represent the community where I was born and raised, and I am excited to continue this trajectory of legislative success on behalf of House District 21,” Phelan said in a news release. “From my first day in office to now, my goal has remained the same: To keep Texas the best place to run a business, raise a family and go to school. Working together, we have made significant strides toward that goal while also identifying the work that must continue to ensure our state remains competitive.”
Phelan has held the position since 2015 and in 2021 was elected to serve to as the 76th Speaker of the Texas House.
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Phelan noted his conservative track record in the release, as well as his ability to effectively legislate for Southeast Texans. He said that while great progress has been made, more work still needs to be done.
“It’s no secret that Southeast Texas is the economic engine for the rest of this state, and over the past several years, I have worked hard at the Legislature to prioritize the priorities of this district, which range from workforce development and infrastructure improvements to the funding of our own Lamar State Colleges,” Phelan said in the release. “Under my leadership, the Texas House has also delivered a number of conservative wins, addressing issues that for too long have been among the most pressing items on the minds of voters.”
The release sites Phelan’s work in addressing issues with the largest property tax cut in Texas history, prohibiting gender modification procedures on minors, the Texas Heartbeat Act, Constitutional Carry, banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates from private employers and empowering Texas parents to address sexually explicit materials found in schools.
“As we look ahead to the 2024 election cycle, I am eager to grow the Republican majority in the Texas House and look forward to collaborating with others who share this same goal,” Phelan said in the release. “We will again devote thousands of miles on the campaign trail and any other resources that are needed by these candidates to ensure that Texas Republicans have even more representation in the Texas House in 2025.”
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In addition to his elected office, Phelan, who received a bachelor’s degree in government and business from the University of Texas at Austin, is a real estate developer. He works at his family’s fourth generation commercial real estate development firm, which owns and oversees retail, industrial and office property in Texas and Arkansas, according to the news release.
The Enterprise reached out to Phelan and did not receive a response by deadline.
So far, two other individuals have also announced their intent to run for the seat. Former Orange County Republican Chairman David Covey and Magnolia Springs resident, retired hairdresser and United States Postal Service employee Alicia Davis both are running for the seat on the Republican ticket.
Phelan has not had a challenger since he beat Democrat Gavin Bruney when first elected to the seat.
All of the 150 Texas House seats, 21st Congressional District of Texas included, are up for grabs in 2024. The general election is Nov. 5, 2024, with the primary on March 5 and a primary runoff on May 28. The filing deadline for a place on the ballot is Dec. 11, 2023.
