Top 10 Most Conservative New Breed RINOs
in Texas House after AG Impeachment Votes
Capitol Inside
October 25, 2023
| # |
Incumbent |
Current |
Average |
| 1 |
Briscoe Cain |
5 |
2.8 |
| 2 |
Jared Patterson |
18 |
13.3 |
| 3 |
Matt Shaheen |
16 |
13.7 |
| 4 |
Cody Vasut |
9 |
9.5 |
| 5 |
Terry Wilson |
10 |
13.7 |
| 6 |
Jeff Leach |
20 |
16.5 |
| 7 |
David Spiller |
12 |
15.0 |
| 8 |
Cole Hefner |
20 |
14.5 |
| 9 |
Will Metcalf |
20 |
23.3 |
| 10 |
Andrew Murr |
33 |
24.3 |
|
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility conservative scorecards rankings for 2023 and average
|
The Great Texas RINO Safari got under way in earnest this week when Republican David Covey portrayed Speaker Dade Phelan's campaign kickoff event as a watering hole for Democrats including a former local party chairman who's running for the state House in a neighboring district.
Covey said that 30 percent of the 53-member host committee for the Phelan fundraiser were "known patrons of the Democrat cause." Covey said Phelan's hosts included Wayne Reaud - a Beaumont attorney who's been a major contributor to the Democratic Party since participating in the team of private lawyers who won a record judgment for the state in the tobacco lawsuit of the late 1990s.
The speaker held the event at an exotic game ranch that belongs to Carl Griffith - a former Jefferson County judge who's a Democrat and longtime major player in local politics there. According to Covey, House District 22 contender Joseph Trahan is a member of the Phelan host committee as well. Trahan is challenging Democratic State Rep. Christian Manuel of Beaumont in a primary rematch.
"My opponent, Dade, is a far cry from the persona he presents," said in a statement on Tuesday.
Phelan's willingness to tout support from Democrats suggests that he perceives himself to be invincible at home. No Texas speaker who served at least one full term lost a hometown re-election race. Few if any have openly backed a challenger in a House race against an incumbent from the opposing party. Phelan has the power to take care of a local area in ways other members cannot do. He could be unbeatable in House District 21 as a function of pork barrel politics.
But 10 or more House Republicans who are closely associated with the speaker may not feel as secure in the early stages of re-election campaigns in districts where they're running as RINOs for the first time and can expect to be branded with the scarlet R in opposition advertising regardless of how conservative they may appear on paper.
The definition of Republican in name only has changed at the Capitol in the Lone Star State. Voting records are irrelevant. The past doesn't matter. RINO is a term now for Texas legislators who voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton. There are 60 RINOs in the Legislature's lower chamber now and two in the Senate where 16 Republicans voted to acquit the AG on September 16 after a trial of two weeks. There are no grey areas.
Here are the 10 most conservative RINOs based on their grades on the Texans for Fiscal Responsibility scorecard that's been the most prominent measuring stick for Republicans in Austin.
1. State Rep. Briscoe Cain of Deer Park tied for 1st place with six GOP colleagues on the Fiscal Responsibility Index for his freshman year in 2017. A charter member of the Texas Freedom Caucus, Cain ranked as the second most conservative House member in 2019 before finishing 3rd in 2021.
Cain scored his first leadership position two years ago as the Elections Committee chairman who sponsored a landmark voting security bill. Phelan shifted Cain to the lead role on the Agriculture & Livestock Committee this year. Cain tied for 5th on the TFR scorecard for 2023. But Cain joined the herd when he voted for Paxton's impeachment and served on the group of representatives who Phelan selected to prosecute the case. The Houston-area lawmaker who ranked no less than three on average in the biennial TFR assessment has the distinction of being the most conservative RINO on paper in the history of the Lone Star State.
Baytown activist Bianca Gracia - the president of the Latinos for Trump - launched a bid for the House District 128 on Monday with incumbent #RINO Cain in her sights. She will be dropping the R word on every turn.
2. State Rep. Jared Patterson of Frisco tied for 10th on the Texans for Fiscal Responsibility conservative scorecard as a House rookie in 2019 before slipping to 12th in 2021 and 18th this year.
Patterson sought to burnish his conservative credentials during the 2023 regular session as the author of a bill that banned sexually explicit materials in public schools. But Patterson became an official member of the RINO club when he voted to impeach the AG and emerged as the speaker's top enforcer on a post-impeachment push that's replaced Paxton with Defend Texas Liberty PAC as the new villain.
Patterson attracted a pair of primary challengers last week in Cynthia Figueroa and Chavvon Johnston in House District 106 in Denton County. The number one goal for Patterson's opponents will be trying to tie him to Phelan and Democrats by association in an area where Paxton will be trying to knock him off as well.
3. State Rep. Matt Shaheen of Plano tied for 1st in the conservative scorecard rankings in 2015 and 2017. Shaheen ranked 10th in 2019 and 13th in 2021 before a tie at 16th in 2023. That makes him the second most conservative House Republican behind Cain in the rankings for representatives who are going to be tagged as RINOs by primary foes. Shaheen is facing Wayne Richard in House District 66.
4. State Rep. Cody Vasut of Angleton ranked as the 9th most conservative House Republicans in his rookie debut in 2021 before coming in at 10th this time around. Vasut supported Paxton's ouster and landed a spot on the team of House managers for the Senate trial. Vasut hasn't appeared to draw primary opposition up to now.
5. State Rep. Terry Wilson of Georgetown was ranked as the 7th most conservative House Republican in both 2019 an 2021 before sliding to 10th in 2023. Wilson was 17th in 2017. Wilson landed his first chairmanship this year as the leader of the Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee on the Phelan team. Wilson backed Paxton's impeachment and the speaker in his fight with the Defend Texas Liberty PAC. He hasn't attracted primary opposition so far.
6. State Rep. Jeff Leach of Allen was an original Texas Freedom Caucus member who ranked among the 14 most conservative House Republicans in his first three terms in the House. But Leach became the first caucus dropout when he decided he could do more for his district in a leadership role. He ranked as the 20th most conservative House Republican in 2021 before coming in 22nd this year. Leach is the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee. Leach voted to impeach Paxton and played a key role in the group of House members who Phelan picked to manage the case. Leach will be a top target on the Paxton revenge tour with Allen City Council member Daren Meis taking aim at him in the GOP primary election in House District 67.
7. State Rep. David Spiller of Jacksboro ranked as the 12th most conservative Republican in the House in 2023 after placing 18th in his freshman sessions two years ago. Spiller served on the House committee that conducted a secret investigation into the AG. Spiller was a member of the House managers at the Senate trial as well.
8. State Rep. Cole Hefner of Mount Pleasant was ranked as the 11th most conservative House Republican in 2021 after rating 13th and 14th in his first two terms. Hefner ranked 20th in 2023. He voted to impeach Paxton. Hefner has no apparent opposition in House District 5.
9. State Rep. Will Metcalf of Montgomery tied for 20th on the TFR scorecard for 2023 after ranking 25th in 2021 and 2019 and 23rd in 2017. Metcalf is close friends with Phelan. He's served as the House Administrations Committee chairman since early 2021.
10. State Rep. Andrew Murr of Junction ranked as the 17th most conservative Republicans in the House in both 2019 and 2021. Murr dipped to 33 in 2023 as the General Investigating Committee chair who led the Paxton probe and prosecution. He's second only to Phelan in Paxton target plans for the 2024 primary when he will face Wes Virdell in House District 53.
|
