Texas State Representative Dade Phelan announced today that he will not seek reelection to his House District 21 seat, bringing to a close a political career that has been marked by contradictions, particularly when it comes to the question of Texas independence.
Phelan’s decision to retire from politics comes just months after he withdrew from the race for Speaker of the Texas House — a position he held from 2021 until January of this year. The Beaumont Republican faced mounting pressure from conservative members of his own party who grew increasingly frustrated with his willingness to work with Democrats and his failure to advance key conservative priorities.
For Texas Nationalists, Phelan’s retirement represents the departure of a legislator who once offered hope for advancing the cause of Texas independence, only to later abandon that position when it mattered most.
A Promise Made, A Promise Broken
In 2023, when Phelan was selected as Speaker, the Texian Partisan noted something significant about his record. As a State Representative, Phelan had publicly stated, in 2016, that he favored letting the people vote on TEXIT. This was the most public direct statement about his support for the principle of self-determination during his tenure.
As he climbed the ranks of leadership in the Texas House eventually becoming Speaker of the House, his position gave Texas Nationalists reason for cautious optimism. Here was someone in one of the most powerful positions in state government who understood that the question of Texas independence deserved to be put before the people. We hoped that as Speaker, he would honor this commitment by ensuring a fair and speedy process for TEXIT legislation.
But promises made in pursuit of power often evaporate once that power is obtained.
The Establishment’s Grip
Phelan’s tenure as Speaker exemplified everything that frustrates Texans about their state government. Despite Republican control of every statewide office and overwhelming majorities in both chambers of the Legislature, conservative priorities consistently died in the House under his leadership. School vouchers, expanded state control of elections, and meaningful border security measures all fell victim to Phelan’s preference for accommodation over action.
This pattern is the natural result of a system where power is concentrated in Austin and filtered through Federal constraints. Even when Texans elect representatives who promise to fight for their values, those representatives quickly learn that the real power lies not in representing their constituents, but in maintaining relationships with the political establishment.
Phelan’s willingness to appoint Democrats to key committee chairmanships while blocking conservative priorities demonstrates the fundamental problem with our current system. In an independent Texas, representatives would answer only to Texans, not to Federal mandates or the demands of a national political establishment that views Texas as nothing more than a source of revenue and electoral votes.
The Broader Pattern
Phelan’s retirement is part of a larger pattern we’ve seen in Texas politics over the past several years. Politicians who once expressed openness to Texas independence quickly retreat from that position once they gain power within the existing system. The temptations of Austin politics — the committee assignments, the leadership positions, the access to influence — create powerful incentives to preserve the status quo rather than challenge it.
The system is designed to co-opt and neutralize those who might challenge it. Politicians like Phelan arrive in Austin with good intentions, but the gravitational pull of the establishment is too strong.
What This Means for TEXIT
For supporters of Texas independence, Phelan’s retirement removes a figure who had become an obstacle to advancing TEXIT legislation. His replacement may likely come from the same political establishment that shaped Phelan’s evolution from independence supporter to establishment defender.
The real lesson here isn’t about individual politicians, it’s about the system itself. As long as Texas remains subordinate to the Federal Government, our elected representatives will continue to face the choice between serving Texans and serving their political careers. Too often, they choose their careers.
This is why the push for Texas independence must ultimately come from the people themselves, not from politicians in Austin. The Texas Nationalist Movement has always understood that real change happens when ordinary Texans decide they’ve had enough of being governed by people who don’t share their values or understand their needs.
Looking Forward
Phelan’s retirement creates an opportunity for District 21 voters to elect someone who will stand firm for Texas values without being compromised by Austin politics. More importantly, it serves as a reminder that the path to Texas independence runs through the people, not through the political establishment.
Every time a politician like Phelan retreats from supporting Texas independence, it reinforces the central truth of our movement: we cannot depend on others to secure our freedom. We must do it ourselves.
The question isn’t whether the next Speaker or the next representative from District 21 will support TEXIT. The question is whether Texans will demand the right to vote on their own political future, regardless of what politicians in Austin think about it.
Phelan’s departure closes one chapter, but the larger story continues. Texas independence isn’t a political position subject to the whims of individual politicians. It’s a principle rooted in the inherent right of self-determination. That principle will outlast every politician who betrays it.
The TEXIT train keeps rolling, with or without Dade Phelan aboard.
