Fighting From The Minority: Can House Leadership Shift The Balance In Texas?

The leadership choices that could define Texas Democrats in the 89th Session.

Yesterday, Representative John Bryant (D-HD114) appeared on Lone Star Politics on NBC DFW. He discussed numerous topics, including his feelings on why Democrats lost in Texas, Democratic leadership, and the race for House Speaker.

This week, the House Democratic Caucus is set to meet and vote on who will be chair of the Caucus going into the 89th Legislative Session. There are 62 House Democrats, and this vote will be between them.

The other Democrats elected Trey Martinez-Fischer (D-HD116) to the chair in 2022 after my State House Rep, Chris Turner (D-HD101), stepped aside. There have been rumors that others will also enter the race. However, as of writing this, no one else has made a formal announcement.

When asked about the House Democratic Caucus chair on Lone Star Politics, here is what John Bryant had to say:

“I think it’s a question about doing something that works and not continuing to operate the old way. Thirty years of Republican dominance of state government and 22 years of uninterrupted dominance of the legislature have led a lot of Democrats to become complacent and get by with a smile and a shoeshine—hoping their good personalities are going to get them to pass bills and get them appointed vice chairman of a committee or committee of their choice. And that is not the way to go.

“We have to be focused on the policy agenda of the Democratic Party, the things that are in the public interest, that we represent, that we only represent, and be making clear that is our objective in the legislature, and taking the fight back to the Republican speaker.”

Texas House Democrats fight harder than any other Democrats in America.

I’m afraid I have to disagree with John Bryant on this point when he said that House Democrats are complacent. Maybe he sees another aspect of the process behind the scenes that we aren’t privy to. As someone who has been watching the Texas Legislative Sessions for years, I think the Democrats have made achievements despite being in the minority.

Take the voucher issue, for example. Greg Abbott called Special Sessions after Special Sessions in 2023 to push the legislature to approve vouchers, but Democrats managed to block them every time. Even though we have Democrats who we thought might vote for vouchers, like Barbara Gervin-Hawkins and Harold Dutton, the House Democrats managed to stay united on that issue, blocking vouchers each time.

And vouchers were far from the only bill they blocked during the last session.

Sure, Democratic voters in Texas would love to see our priorities passed, like the expansion of healthcare, clean energy, and the legalization of cannabis. But is that a reality while we’re in the minority?

Last Session, Democrats did manage to extend Medicaid coverage to 12 months for postpartum mothers, which is a big deal. In the session before that, Democrats expanded CBD usage despite being in the minority.

Again, Bryant sees things behind the scenes that the rest of us don’t, but from my perspective, I have seen House Democrats fight tooth and nail.

The interviewer asked Bryant if Democrats should abandon their bipartisan coalition in exchange for committee chairs. Here is how he responded:

“If the price of accepting a chairmanship is to give up your Democratic voice for the public interest, you should not accept it. Now, if you can accept it, keep your independence, and continue to speak out against the policies I just mentioned, then that’s just fine with me. But the problem is, we have a culture now, I think, within the House Democratic Caucus, among too many members, of wanting to please the Republican Speaker in order to get appointed chairman or in order to get appointed to a committee.

“And I’ll ask you and your viewers, when was the last time you saw Democrats in the newspaper fighting back against utility rates, insurance rates, or even property taxes?”

The interview asked if that meant holding some of these bills or the budget hostage.

Bryant said yes, and the House Democratic Caucus talked about doing that last session, but it never happened.

Which Democrats had Committee chairmanships in the 88th Legislative Session?

• Representative Mary González (D-HD75) - Committee on Appropriations - Subcommittee on Articles I, IV, & V

• Representative Armondo Walle (D-HD140) - Committee on Appropriations - Subcommittee on Articles VI, VII, & VIII

• Representative Oscar Longoria (D-HD35) - Committee on Business & Industry

• Representative Able Herrero (D-HD34) - Committee on Corrections

• Representative Victoria Neave Criado (D-HD16) - Committee on County Affairs

• Representative Joe Moody (D-HD78) - Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence

• Representative Harold Dutton (D-HD142) - Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues

• Representative Tracy King (D-HD80) - Committee on Natural Resources

• Representative Bobby Guerra (D-HD41) - Committee on Resolutions Calendars

• Representative Terry Canales (D-HD40) - Committee on Transportation

During the last legislative session, there were 39 Committees, and Democrats were given chairmanships of ten of those committees.

It should also be noted that this list above contains some of the most Conservative Democrats in the Texas House. Dems like Oscar Longoria and Bobby Guerra often vote more with Republicans than Democrats. Tracy King did, too, although he’s now retired.

I can’t see the House Democratic Caucus telling the Republican Speaker that they won’t fight hard on bills as long as some of their most Conservative members are appointed committee chairs. That doesn’t make sense.

Is it possible that these Conservative Democrats made deals with Speaker Phelan during the last session to get these chair positions? Seeing how many of them voted, I think it’s very possible. Was it a decision of the entire House Democratic Caucus? I’m not sure, but it seems unlikely, considering the ideological leanings of many of these chairs.

In the last session, I remember when there was chatter about Democrats blocking the budget.

Abel Herrero added an amendment to the budget early on that would have prohibited state funds from going toward vouchers. The amendment passed, and the full House voted on the budget.

When the final vote on the budget came up, House Democratic Caucus Chair Trey Martinez-Fischer spoke against it, explained why he was voting against it, and encouraged others to do the same.

Ultimately, 17 Democrats, including John Bryant and Trey Martinez-Fischer, voted against the budget. The rest of the Democrats voted in favor of it.

When it comes to the budget, it’s essential to understand why many House Democrats support it, even when it includes measures they strongly oppose. The budget is the most consequential piece of legislation passed during any session, dictating funding for schools, roads, healthcare, and other essential services directly impacting every Texan. For most representatives, voting for the budget isn’t just about legislative priorities—it’s about ensuring their constituents have access to critical resources.

Even in a Republican-dominated legislature, Democrats can use the budget process to negotiate for the inclusion of programs that align with their priorities, such as increased funding for higher education institutions or initiatives addressing food insecurity.

Ultimately, each Representative will vote for their district. The budget often includes district-specific projects that representatives have worked tirelessly to secure. Whether it’s funding for infrastructure improvements to reduce flooding or resources for job training programs, these investments are hard-won and critical to the well-being of communities. For some Democrats, these wins make it impossible to vote against the budget despite its imperfections.

Could and should the House Democrats hold the budget hostage to get more of our priorities passed?

It’s also worth noting that rejecting the budget entirely could have far-reaching consequences. A failure to pass the budget could lead to a government shutdown, halting funding for schools, healthcare providers, and essential state operations. Such an outcome would disproportionately harm vulnerable Texans, including those Democrats aim to protect.

It’s easy to criticize Democrats who vote for the budget without considering the stakes for their communities. Voting against the budget might align with ideological purity, but it risks leaving constituents without critical resources. For this reason, many Democrats view the budget as an opportunity to secure incremental wins, even in a legislature where achieving their broader agenda remains an uphill battle.

I spent some time this morning looking back to see if the state budget has ever been held hostage before so that the minority party can get what they want. While there are plenty of instances where policy negotiations influenced the budget process, the specific scenario of holding the budget hostage to achieve particular legislative outcomes hasn’t been done (that I can find).

What would happen if House Democrats told House Republicans, “expand Medicaid and block vouchers, or we collectively vote against the budget?”

I don’t know the answer to that. Do Republicans play ball and agree? Or does this lead to looming government shutdowns, like we see in DC, with Democrats eventually caving?

If Democrats decide to pursue that option, it must be discussed, and they would have to whip their members into agreement.

John Bryant agreed that Speaker Phelan and his supporters would have to make concessions to get Democrats to vote for a Republican Speaker again.

I agree with this, and I mentioned last week that Democrats should consider negotiating with Dade Phelan in exchange for blocking vouchers.

In his interview, Bryant spoke about negotiating with Phelan (although he didn’t say his name), blocking vouchers, and expanding healthcare for women in exchange for a vote.

Y’all agreed in the poll I took.

Considering where the Republican Caucus is now and its severe dysfunction, I believe the deals probably can be made with Phelan and his Republican supporters. We could successfully block vouchers for another session and ensure that women in Texas aren’t dying from ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages.

However, any Democratic leader, whether Trey Martinez-Fischer or John Bryant, can make those negotiations.

Ultimately, it’s up to the House Democrats who will lead them this next session.

The Democratic House Caucus will meet this week to take that vote. With Texas Republicans continuing to push for policies like private school vouchers and refusing to expand Medicaid, Democrats must decide not just how to vote but how to lead.

The Democratic Caucus Chair election this week will set the tone for how House Democrats navigate this session. Will they adopt a more aggressive approach, leveraging tools like the budget to force concessions, or will they stick to the pragmatic, coalition-driven strategy allowing them to score incremental victories in recent years? Both paths have risks and rewards, and the decision will define the party’s identity and influence in Texas politics.

What’s clear is that Democrats must balance their role as the opposition with their responsibility to deliver for their constituents. The fight over vouchers, healthcare, and countless other issues will demand unity, strategy, and leadership that reflects the values of the diverse communities they represent.

Texans need a Democratic Caucus that is focused, united, and willing to fight for the policies that serve the public good. The question is: Who will lead them, and how will they choose to fight?

• 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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