Trump on RINO Safari in Lone Star State
with Four Phelan Allies in Primary Sights

Texas House and Senate Fundraising

Capitol Inside
February 20, 2024

Donald Trump raised the stakes dramatically in a raging civil war in the Texas GOP when he issued endorsements on Tuesday to a quartet of challengers in bids to oust Republican representatives who backed Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment before voting to kill Governor Greg Abbott's school choice plan.

Trump dished his support to Liz Case of Tuscola, Helen Kerwin of Glen Rose, Mike Olcott of Aledo and Alan Schoolcraft of Universal City for primary bouts with State Reps. Stan Lambert of Abilene, DeWayne Burns of Cleburne, Glenn Rogers of Graford and John Kuempel of Seguin respectively on the ballot March 5.

The former president had pitched his support to David Covey of Orange last month for a fight with House Speaker Dade Phelan in his home district as the first of several hurdles he would have to clear to have another shot at the gavel in 2025. The four GOP representatives who he's targeting on the expanded Texas slate are important Phelan allies who received contributions from the speaker in January along with several other Republicans who had drawn Abbott's ire with their opposition to school choice.

Trump hasn't endorsed in legislative races outside Texas in round one up to now in 2024. But the ex-president has injected himself into state House contests here now along with his involvement in an open race for Senate District 30 with his support for Denton's Brent Hagenbuch.

The unexpected plugs from Mar-a-Lago on the first day of early voting left Trump's new targets facing outside opposition that would have been unfathomable until now. Schoolcraft and Kerwin have run the table for marquee endorsements in bids to unseat Kuempel and Burns with nods from Trump, Abbott, Paxton, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz. Abbott is backing Case and Olcott as well in fights for seats that Lambert and Rogers are attempting to defend amid the unprecedented effort from Austin to engineer their exits from the Legislature.

All four candidates who scored the early Christmas gifts from Trump today already had Abbott at rallies in their districts with more on tap in a marathon crisscross of Texas in recent weeks to campaign for incumbents who he fears to be in peril and challengers who are taking on anti-voucher Republicans in races that could be key to Phelan's survival in the long run as well.

Trump doled out endorsements to incumbents for primary contests in 2022 with token opposition. Trump backed rookie Republican State Rep. Frederick Frazier of McKinney that year in an open race that ended with his win in a bruising runoff. Trump pitched his muscle behind State Senators Mayes Middleton of Galveston, Pete Flores of Pleasanton and Kevin Sparks of Odessa for contested primaries in 2022.

Trump had his biggest stake two years ago in the Michigan state House races that ended for him with five wins and five losses. But Trump's stock should be up substantially as the comeback candidate who appears to be on track for a third consecutive presidential nomination with a blowout shaping up in Texas two weeks from now.

Here is what Trump had to say in posts on his Truth Social account.

"Mike Olcott is running in Texas State House District 60 against RINO Glenn Rogers, who voted to Impeach Texas’ Great Attorney General, Ken Paxton. In the State Legislature, Mike will Champion School Choice, Secure the Border, Fight for Election Integrity, Grow the Economy, and Protect and Defend our Second Amendment, which is under siege by the Radical Left. Mike is strongly supported by Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and Attorney General Ken Paxton, and many other fantastic Texas Conservatives. Mike Olcott has my Complete and Total Endorsement!"

"Alan Schoolcraft is running in Texas State House District 44 against RINO John Kuempel, who voted to Impeach Texas’ Great Attorney General, Ken Paxton. In the State Legislature, Alan will Champion School Choice, Fight for Election Integrity, Defend Texas Values, Secure the Border, and Protect our Second Amendment, which is under siege by the Radical Left. Alan is supported by Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and Attorney General Ken Paxton, and many other strong Texas Conservatives. Alan Schoolcraft has my Complete and Total Endorsement!"

"Helen Kerwin is running in Texas State House District 58 against RINO DeWayne Burns, who has one of the most liberal voting records of any Republican, including his vote to Impeach Texas’ Great Attorney General, Ken Paxton. As a State Representative, Helen will Champion School Choice, Fight to Secure our Border, Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes, Defend Texas Values, and Protect our under siege Second Amendment. She has a wonderful family, and her daughter, Brooke Rollins, served on my senior staff at The White House for three years, and is now doing an incredible job leading the America First Policy Institute. Helen is strongly supported by Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and many other incredible Texas Conservatives. Helen Kerwin is an America First Conservative, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement!"

And there you have it.