House Speaker Dade Phelan talks to a constituent outside of a polling location in Beaumont on on May 28, 2024., The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.is leading challenger David Covey with the early vote tallied in House District 21.
With Jefferson, Orange and Jasper counties reporting in the Southeast Texas district, Phelan leads by less than 1,000 votes. Covey edged Phelan in the early vote in Orange County, the largest in the district, but Phelan walloped his opponent by a nearly 2 to 1 margin in the early balloting in Jefferson County, where the speaker lives. Covey was leading in rural Jasper County, the least populous in District 21.
Covey, a 34-year-old first-time candidate, not only forced Phelan into a runoff in March but secured more votes than the two-term House speaker. That outcome shocked many in the district, as Phelan was previously reelected four times without Republican opposition and hails from one of the most prominent families in Beaumont.
Candidates for the Texas Legislature who trail after the first round rarely win their runoffs. Phelan carried the unique advantage of being a statewide leader with a prolific roster of political donors. Through May 20, his campaign reported spending $3.8 million on the runoff, more than double Covey’s $1.6 million. Their combined hauls amounted to what was almost certainly the most expensive state House race in Texas history., happening Sept. 5–7 in downtown Austin.
Politics Texas Legislature Beaumont Dade Phelan
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