Texas Tribune video from bodycam in U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson clash with police in White Deer
Lone Texas Rep on DeSantis Train
Pulls Plug on 2024 Re-Election Bid
Capitol Inside August 14, 2023
The Texas Freedom Caucus learned on Monday that it's losing its last charter member when GOP State Rep. Matt Schaefer of Tyler revealed that he won't be a candidate for re-election in 2024 after spurning Donald Trump in favor of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis instead.
Schaefer gave a sneak preview of the announcement on Sunday night with tweets on the possibility of Trump enlisting a Democrat for the second spot on the ticket as a desperation measure to keep some hope alive. Schaefer published a poll on Twitter that gauged support for a Trump ticket that includes a Democrat.
"Trump is considering Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his potential Vice-Presidential running mate," Schaefer tweeted. "If you don’t believe it, you don’t understand how far Trump will go if he thinks it helps him win."
Schaefer's unscientific survey showed 46.4 percent vowing not to support a bipartisan ticket with Trump at the top while 20 percent said they would. But another 26.1 percent said they'd back a two-party ticket on the condition that Kennedy would be the VP nominee.
Schaefer didn't offer a specific reason for the decision to hang it up in House District 6 beyond fresh blood. "It’s time for the next conservative leader to be the voice of House District 6 in Austin," Schaefer said in a tweet. "God instituted civil government, He chooses its leaders, and He has called ‘we the people’ to be good stewards of authority. So to God be the glory for the privilege to serve my fellow Texans in this capacity for 12 years."
Schaefer won the HD 6 seat in 2012 when he ran to the right of the House's most conservative member, the late Leo Berman, en route to ousting him in the GOP primary election that year. Schaefer was a founding member of the Texas Freedom Caucus - a group that's had about a dozen GOP representatives on its roster since making waves for the first time in 2017 by clashing frequently with the leadership complete with a bill-killing ambush that became known as the Mother's Day massacre.
But Schaefer was one of the few TFC renegades who found a way to have a significant impact on major legislation that he had no chance on the outside to pass as a chief sponsor. Schaefer left his most significant mark - arguably - on a sanctuary cities bill that he amended to the House leaders' dismay with a so-called "show me your papers" provision that gave Texas the most restrictive immigration law in the nation.
Republican Jonathan Stickland was the guiding force behind the Texas Freedom Caucus in its early years while Schaefer had the initial title as chairman. Schaefer is the group's current chair. But Schaefer refused to trade the image as a hardliner for a place on the leaders team like some former members would do to give them a shot to be more effective in conventional fashions.
State Rep. Jeff Leach - an Allen Republican who'd been a charter Texas Freedom Caucus member with Schaefer - lavished praise on the East Texas colleague today on social media.
"Really sad to hear this news from my #txlege classmate, stalwart conservative colleague and dear friend @RepMattSchaefer," Leach tweeted. "One of the most decent, principled and honorable men I’ve had the blessing of serving with and he’ll be missed in the Texas House."
Republican State Rep. David Spiller of Jacksboro said in a Twitter post that he "completely" agrees with the Leach assessment.
The connection that Schaefer had cultivated in recent months with DeSantis was missing from the conversations and accolades exchange on the state lawmaker's plans to step down. But it may have loomed large in the decision given Schaefer's status as the only state legislator from Texas on the list of the Florida governor's supporters in his bid for the GOP nomination in the presidential sweepstakes next year.
DeSantis has appeared to fizzle after considerable momentum at the outset. Trump has a massive lead in polls that have shown DeSantis sinking with no signs of potential rebounds. But Schaefer could have been expected to be re-elected easily in 2024 regardless of the DeSantis association.
more to come ...
I will not seek re-election to the Texas House of Representatives in 2024. It’s time for the next conservative leader to be the voice of House District 6 in Austin. God instituted civil government, He chooses its leaders, and He has called ‘we the people’ to be good stewards of…
