This week, Texas House Republicans censured four right-wing members who ran against their colleagues, capping months of internal strife and taxing primary contests.

The caucus and its members won’t really be affected by the public censure, but it does draw attention to the continuous and widening rift that exists within the party between more traditional conservatives and the activist right flank. Political analysts point out that this dispute is starting to resemble Washington, D.C., something that Republican leaders have long been aware of and glad to steer clear of.

“The Republican Party has been extremely disciplined about not speaking poorly of one another for literally decades,” Renée Cross, senior executive director of the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs, said. “You could have private disagreements with your Republican colleagues, but you consistently presented a united front. Those regulations from forty years ago are completely irrelevant now.

Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton spearheaded an effort this spring to remove a record 15 sitting House Republicans in the primary, which resulted in the censures. Even House Speaker Dade Phelan, who narrowly prevailed in the end, had a difficult time winning reelection.

By supporting Abbott and Paxton, some House Republicans disobeyed GOP caucus rules prohibiting them from endorsing or supporting a candidate opposing another member. Reps. Brian Harrison, Steve Toth, Tony Tinderholt, and Nate Schatzline were censured as a result of this; all four have stated that they stand by their choices.

Following their censures, the four lawmakers released a statement saying, “We are proud to have helped many true conservatives join the Texas House; something we will continue to do, regardless of any absurd caucus rules designed to protect the unitary swamp.” “The Republican caucus is punishing conservatives in a divisive way at a time when Republicans should be standing together against Democrats.” 

In a similar vein, the caucus executive committee informed the members of the censure in a letter, claiming that the representatives had freely accepted the regulations prohibiting them from running for office against their peers. As stated, the bylaws were approved in 2019 “with the goal of eradicating discord and fostering solidarity.”

The executive committee stated, “You may choose to ignore (the rules), but it is our duty as officers to uphold them to the best of our abilities and enforce them when necessary.” “While we think those punishments are appropriate for your actions, there were definitely more severe ones, and it is in the best interest of the caucus to come together and move past your attempts to divide us,” the statement reads.

Democrats may have a little advantage going into November, according to Cross, despite the fact that the 2021 redistricting cycle eliminated the majority of the state’s competitive races and any Democratic gains would be negligible. Infighting is typical among “parties that have enjoyed power for a very long time,” she added, noting that Democrats haven’t prevailed in a Texas statewide election for thirty years.

A rivalry is already building over Phelan’s bid for a third term as speaker of the lower house in the upcoming election. The treasurer of the caucus, Rep. Shelby Slawson of Stephenville, and the chair, Rep. Tom Oliverson of Cypress, have both declared campaigns against him. There are also a lot of speculations that other Republican politicians are coveting the gavel.

Oliverson stated on social media that even if he disagreed with the rule that the four members who were censured for breaking, he was still required to uphold it. He stated that during its retreat in October, the caucus would talk about revising or eliminating the rule.

The arguments remind Cal Jillson, a politics professor at Southern Methodist University, of the fights between House Republicans in Washington, D.C. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was overthrown by a tiny number of far-right lawmakers last year, throwing the house into disarray and leaving them without a leader for weeks.

According to Jillson, “the Republican caucus is divided when it knows that being unified is in its political interest.” He noted that this is particularly crucial because it appears like bipartisanship is no longer an option in the Texas House.

For instance, it is customary in the chamber for Republicans to select certain Democrats to lead committees; nonetheless, Phelan faced significant criticism on this subject during his candidacy. Since then, a letter signed by over half of the Republican caucus has said that they will not back a speaker candidate who chooses Democratic chairs.

According to Jillson, “The Texas House has long boasted about its ability to work across the aisle and about having a speaker who will have a team composed mostly of Republicans, with some Democrats in this case.” Republicans must be able to rule independently because the bipartisanship that once characterized the Texas House has disappeared, and a split Republican caucus puts the party’s future in jeopardy.