Democrats Trolled The GOP, But Can They Deliver Reform?

Unlimited donations are corrupting Texas politics.

Texas Republicans are so angry right now, maybe even more than usual. While Dustin Burrows’ (R-HD83) voting record is far to the right, the GOP is now calling him a “secret liberal.” And even more hilarious is the Texas House Democratic Caucus trolling Dan Patrick on Twitter over his outrage. Check it out:

Dan Patrick was not happy with the House Democratic Caucus’ meme. Look at their responses:

Representative J. M. Lozano (R-HD43) said, “I have never seen the Democrats this emboldened and empowered.” It’s incredible how much Democrats are getting under their skin and how they’ve turned on Burrows and his Republican supporters. The GOP honestly believes that Dustin Burrows doesn’t hold the same ideology as the rest of them.

Democrats’ alignment with Burrows wasn’t about his policy positions. It was about voting against Tim Dunn and the “Contract on Texas.” Democrats stood against the Christian Nationalist billionaire in West Texas who is trying to control all of our lives and our government. Unfortunately, I don’t think the Dunn Republicans are smart enough to understand that.

According to Mark McCaig, far-right activist and publisher of the right-wing Texas Voice, Tim Dunn, under the Texas Conservative Project PAC, gave the Republican Party of Texas $250,000 to oppose Dustin Burrows and support David Cook (R-HD96) for Speaker of the House.

Considering that it only took $250,000 to convince Republican voters that the fascist-aligned Burrows is a “secret liberal” speaks volumes about how propagandized the Republican Party is.

Last night, in President Biden’s farewell speech, he said, “Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling abuse of power. The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for political power and profit.”

This is absolutely true, and nowhere is this more evident than in Texas.

Now is the time for campaign finance reform.

Under the Texas law, there are no campaign contribution limits. A billionaire can spend $250,000 on our elections or $250,000,000. This is why Republicans are in a civil war, it’s why they are so corrupt, and it’s why Republican voters believe lies and conspiracy theories.

Unlike previous legislative sessions, this year may be the year Democrats could get Republicans on their side regarding campaign finance reform. And it’s time for all of us to demand that from our legislators, regardless of which side of the aisle they are on.

Call to action:

Call your Texas House Rep. and Senator today and demand they:

• Sponsor campaign finance reform legislation.

• Vote yes on ANY campaign finance reform bills that come up.

Not sure who your representatives are? Find out here.

Related:

• Why Campaign Finance Reform Is The Key To Ending GOP Corruption In Texas

• Billionaire Battleground: How GOP Infighting Fuels The Case For Reform

Day Three - Texas House.

While the Senate will not be in session until Wednesday, the House met today. Initially, they intended to debate and vote on the Housekeeping Resolution introduced yesterday. This resolution ensures the smooth functioning of the House by defining responsibilities, procedures, budgets, and workplace conduct.

You would think it wouldn’t be contentious, but leave it to Republicans.

The resolution’s author, Charlie Geren (R-HD99), announced that Speaker Burrows hadn’t had a chance to review certain items, so the debate on the Housekeeping Resolution was postponed until Wednesday. The debate on the House Rules was also supposed to happen Wednesday, but with this being pushed back, it’s unclear whether they will get to the rules on Wednesday. We’ll have to wait and see.

Last night, Ken Paxton’s Senior Advisor, Michelle Smith, posted on social media that the Housekeeping Resolutions were unconstitutional and Mitch Little (R-HD65) and Brent Money (R-HD02) would take them to town over it.

What’s the unconstitutional part about the Housekeeping Resolution? Fuck if I know, we’ll have to wait until Wednesday to find out. The House has yet to have one debate, but the outside influences are itching to see them tear each other apart.

Nothing was left with the Housekeeping and Rules being pushed out until Wednesday, so the House is adjourned until next week.

Representative Ana-Maria Ramos (D-HD102) issued a statement regarding her vote for David Cook.

Ramos explains her decision to protest her vote against Speaker Burrows after initially voting for herself in the first round. She criticizes Democrats for failing to leverage their collective power to support a unified Democratic candidate, instead opting for individual deals. Ramos also highlights her concerns over Burrows’ far-right stance and history of opposing progressive causes, such as public schools and LGBTQ+ rights.

I’ve heard rumors about Ramos’ vote for Cook, including Burrows telling her that he would “never support any of her bills” and that she, along with Richard Raymond (D-HD42) and Sergio Muñoz (D-HD36), may be censured.

I haven’t heard directly from anyone on the SDEC or related Democratic clubs about any censuring documents being developed, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Ana-Maria Ramos has long been a champion for progressive Democrats in Texas, unlike Raymond and Muñoz, who lean so far right that they’re practically Republicans. Personally, I like Ramos a lot, and I hate for anyone to be mad at her.

The first days of the legislative session have already highlighted the chaos within the Texas GOP.

The infighting among Republicans, fueled by billionaire donors like Tim Dunn, underscores the corrupting influence of unlimited campaign contributions. Meanwhile, Democrats can push for meaningful changes, like campaign finance reform, but only if they unify and act strategically.

As we watch the Texas House and Senate stumble into session, it’s clear that outside influences are working overtime to exploit divisions and sow further discord. For Democrats, this isn’t just a moment to call out Republican dysfunction. It’s a chance to demand accountability and advance policies that restore power to everyday Texans. It’s time to channel our energy into a fight for real, systemic change.

If we don’t, the next two years will be more of the same: billionaires pulling the strings, Republicans tearing each other apart, and Texans left paying the price.

• March 14: The last day Legislators can file bills.

• June 2: The 89th Legislative Session ends.

• Click here to find out what Legislative districts you’re in.

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