The Republican Party of Texas launched a striking attack on one of its own this week, state House Speaker Dade Phelan, sparking a backlash from some Republicans in the chamber.
The state party began airing a radio ad that takes Phelan to task for allowing Democrats to continue chairing House committees, a longtime tradition that a small faction of House Republicans sought to end last week as the chamber crafted its rules package. But Phelan and his allies outmaneuvered them, preventing the issue — a state GOP priority — from even reaching a floor vote.