Speaker Dennis Bonnen’s announcement this morning that he would not seek reelection to the Texas House of Representatives followed the withdrawal of support of key allies who had lifted him to the speakership in the first place, emerging as a dark horse candidate in the 2018 speaker’s race.
In a statement released by the Speaker this morning, he named 43 House Republicans – a majority of the GOP Caucus – whom he said “have made clear that it is in the best interest of both myself and the House to move on, and I thank them for the respectful and thoughtful way in which they have convinced me to do so.”
Among the names are the Speaker’s own brother, Rep. Greg Bonnen, and Committee Chairpersons Angie Chen Button, John Cyrier, James Frank, Charlie Geren, Jeff Leach, Geanie Morrison, Jim Murphy, Dade Phelan, Drew Springer, James White, and Stephanie Klick, who is also GOP Caucus Chair.
Not listed are at least five other top Republicans who had publicly withdrawn their support for Bonnen last night: Reps. Four Price, Dan Huberty, Lyle Larson, Chris Paddie, and John Frullo.
All of these but Frullo are also committee chairs, including of some of the most powerful committees in the House. Four Price chairs the House Calendars Committee while Huberty heads the Public Education Committee.
“As long-serving members of the Texas House, we informed Speaker Bonnen earlier today that we no longer support him as our Speaker,” they said in a joint statement released Monday night. “It is clear that trust and confidence in the Speaker has significantly eroded among our membership, and the matter has both damaged the reputation of the House and relationships among individual members.”
They were referring to the release of an audio recording last week by a conservative political activist, Michael Quinn Sullivan, in which Bonnen is heard making disparaging remarks about a number of other House members. Bonnen is being investigated by the House General Investigating Committee, which also referred the matter to the Texas Rangers, for having offered on the tape to provide media credentials to Sullivan’s organization in return for political favors.
Rep. Jeff Leach, the Judiciary Committee Chair, issued his own statement Monday morning only about an hour before Bonnen’s announcement, which says in part, “After extensive communications with my constituents and House colleagues, I have notified Dennis Bonnen that I can no longer support him as Speaker.”
Leach had hitherto been one of the more outspoken defenders of the Speaker, saying after news of the secret recording first broke in July that Bonnen had shown “refreshing humility.”
Only a handful of Republican committee chairs had not called on Bonnen to “move on,” per Bonnen’s letter, including Reps. Phil King and Dustin Burrows.
The Speaker’s decision to resign comes after he survived a GOP Caucus meeting over the weekend with little more than a minor rebuke. At the meeting the Speaker had reportedly made an emotional speech to his fellow members in which he offered to resign the Speakership.
Dennis Bonnen wrote a message to his constituents on Facebook this morning, saying, “It is with the deepest love, respect, and honor for my family, House District 25, the Texas Legislature, and the State of Texas that I have announced I will not seek re-election. Aside from the blessings of my wife and two sons, there has been no greater or more rewarding accomplishment in my life than serving all of you.”
Bonnen has served in the Texas House since 1997 at the age of 24.
He added, “I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for putting your trust in me for the past 23 years. I am looking forward to the many new adventures God has in store for me and my family as we embark on a new chapter. May He continue to bless all of you and the great State of Texas.
Texas General Land Commissioner George P. Bush commented, “I thank Speaker Bonnen for his service and wish him well. I applaud him for doing the honorable thing and stepping aside. Now is the time for our party unite and get ready for 2020.”
