Texas GOP’s War On Pluralism And How Democrats Can Exploit the GOP Civil War
How chaos in the Republican Party can help advance progressive goals.
Today, I began writing about the Texas GOP’s attack on pluralism. Pluralism is the core American belief that recognizes and accepts diversity in religious beliefs, social groups, values, and political powers. It is the understanding that different groups have the right to develop themselves freely, engage in the political process, and compete for influence and importance within a democratic society. It’s freedom and liberty for all.
I’ve been closely monitoring the bills being filed in Austin. It’s the same old bullshit, but the Republicans are getting more religious, more racist, and more absurd. This isn’t surprising to those paying attention for the last several years. But as I sorted through their bills, mandating Christianity in our classrooms and removing diversity from government institutions, it dawned on me that Republicans are after pluralism.
Maybe you call that Christian Nationalism. Some may refer to it as fascism. And perhaps others label it plain old-fashioned white supremacy. One thing is glaringly apparent: the Texas GOP is aiming to oppress other religions (or lack thereof) outside of Christianity. They want to punish social groups outside of straight, white men. And they want to ensure that people with different values don’t gain political power.
I put that article on pluralism aside for now in my list of things I’ll publish one day, and I want to shift the conversation to what we do to stop them.
How can Legislative Democrats put a wrinkle in the Republican’s agenda?
I’ve been back and forth about this, and I know some will disagree. Still, after seeing Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s social media post yesterday, I’ve concluded that getting Dade Phelan back as Speaker will create maximum chaos in the Texas House. I’ll explain why.
First and foremost, the Texas Republican Civil War is still in full swing. The Republicans are at each other’s throats every single day. Dan Patrick and Dade Phelan’s feud alone will be chaotic, but about 50 Republican House members, including the 26 newly elected Republicans, have made Phelan their target.
The anti-Dade faction in the House is much larger than the pro-Dade faction. It’s funny because they aren’t mad at Dade for doing anything except going against Tim Dunn, and they’ve painted him out to be a secret Democrat.
If Dade Phelan gets the Speakership again, the GOP Civil War will devolve into the most spiteful behavior we’ve seen in Texas ever. Petty politics? Think more like revenge politics.
The House will pass one version of a bill, the Senate another, and Pelan and Patrick will each demand theirs passes in the other chamber, unwilling to send their adversary’s version to the committee.
This type of chaos will make Republicans look bad.
But Democrats shouldn’t just vote for Phelan just for the sake of the Republican chaos it will cause, and they shouldn’t vote just for committee chairmanships. They need to put some heavy demands on the table.
No vouchers.
Expansion of women’s rights to include access to abortions in cases of rape, incest, and when the mother’s life is at risk.
The Democratic Caucus will decide together what those demands will be, but they should make those the minimum. Maybe they can list ten demands and negotiate, ensuring at least those two things happen.
If Phelan doesn’t agree to those demands, he doesn’t get the votes.
Here is why Phelan and his crew may agree:
They are in the minority of the Republican caucus, and the other side hates them—I mean, loathes them. Several even went on a bus tour against Phelan during the primary season. Many of them campaigned for his primary opponent.
If Phelan and his crew—between 15 and 20 Republicans—do not win the Speakership, the rest of the Republicans will ensure none of their bills get heard or to the floor this session. They are operating with revenge politics.
So, either Phelan wins, or a handful of Republicans will have an incredibly unproductive session. Because of that, Phelan may be willing to agree not to bring a vouchers bill to the floor or agree to allow a Democrat’s bill on women’s healthcare to be sent to a committee.
If Democrats support Phelan and get him reelected as Speaker, the Republican Caucus will be in chaos.
But it can’t be anyone else. And it can’t be unless Phelan makes those concessions.
If Phelan doesn’t agree to the Democrats’ demands, they should all vote for John Bryant and let the GOP flounder.
More Democratic Legislators need to take a play from Ana-Maria Ramos’ playbook.
In the last legislative session, one of the most viral moments didn’t come from the back mic or a committee hearing; it came from a candid video Ana-Maria Ramos (D-HD102) took on the House floor in the middle of an argument.
Many influencers and content creators, including myself, reposted this video. It made the news and got millions of views.
With Democrats being in the minority, they need to peel back the veil and expose Republicans for the monsters that they are.
Legislators, staffers, bypassers, people in the gallery—it doesn’t matter who—these moments often happen in the Texas House. Most of the time, the cameras are zoomed out to show the entire floor, with no sound, so we don’t know what’s happening.
Republicans should be exposed.
Another thing I was thinking about along these lines would be the exploitation of the GOP’s drinking problems—but that’s a more extended topic for another day (soon and maybe in an open letter to House members).
What’s at Stake?
The GOP’s descent into chaos isn’t just political theater—it’s a harbinger of policy gridlock, where essential issues like education, healthcare, and infrastructure take a backseat to petty rivalries and partisan vengeance. For Democrats, this chaos is both a challenge and an opportunity. By standing united and demanding meaningful concessions, they can force the Republican faction led by Dade Phelan to put governance above grudges.
But if Democrats fail to seize this moment, the consequences could be devastating. Public schools could be gutted by voucher programs that drain funding. Women could continue to face life-threatening barriers to healthcare. And the creeping specter of Christian Nationalism could further erode Texas’ commitment to freedom of religion—or the freedom from it.
Texas Democrats have a powerful tool that Republicans fear: transparency. Every legislative session is full of moments that reveal the GOP’s true intentions—whether it’s blatant hypocrisy, discriminatory rhetoric, or the quiet dismantling of rights. Ana-Maria Ramos’ viral video proved how exposing these moments can galvanize public opinion. It’s time for more Democrats to follow her lead and bring the truth directly to the people.
Texas Democrats are at a crossroads.
They can either stand idly by as the Republican majority dismantles pluralism or seize this moment of GOP infighting to fight back—not just for their party but for the rights and freedoms of every Texan. Chaos in the Republican ranks is an opportunity, but only if Democrats use it strategically.
They must demand concessions, hold Republicans accountable for their overreach, and expose their true intentions at every turn. This isn’t just about politics. It’s about preserving the idea that Texas—and America—belongs to all of us, not just the loudest or the most powerful. By embracing bold strategy, transparency, and unity, Texas Democrats can show that even in the minority, they have the power to protect pluralism and push back against the tide of extremism.
The question isn’t whether Democrats can disrupt the GOP’s agenda—it’s whether they’ll rise to the challenge and choose to fight like hell for the future of Texas.
December 9: House Administration Committee meets to debate rules.
January 14: The 89th Legislative Session begins.
March 14: The last day Legislators can file bills.
June 2: The 89th Legislative Session ends.
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Good advice. The republicans are bought and paid for by Tim Dunn and others. Money talks. It's so infuriating that they take money over what the citizens of Texas need.