Less than a month after announcing a run for reelection, one of Speaker Phelan’s top lieutenants Chris Paddie (R-Marhsall) just announced he has changed his mind.
Paddie, who chairs the state’s affairs committee and has represented House District 9 for almost a decade, will not seek another term leaving Texans with a lot of unanswered questions, especially after his hometown -Harrison County- voted to censure him over 18 grievances.
The censure occurred in accordance with Rule 44, a provision within the Republican Party of Texas that allows some degree of reprimand for elected officials, as reported by The Texan, a censure has no penalty associated with it and is simply a “statement of strong disapproval.”
Harrison County GOP Chair Lee Lester told the Marshall News Messenger the course was taken because “[Paddie’s] still not representing the people who sent him.”
“As the House begins working through the process of redistricting, I have decided that the timing is right to spend more time with my family and allow my East Texas colleagues to spend time fighting for our values instead of having to make some of the tough choices required in the redistricting process.” Chris Paddie wrote in a statement.
As reported by the Texas Tribune, Senate Bills 2 and 3, both shepherded by Paddie in the lower chamber and since signed into law, made a host of changes to the power grid and the people who oversee it, including changing the governance of the state’s main grid operator and requiring power generation companies to better prepare their facilities to withstand extreme weather.
At the time of his reelection announcement in August, Paddie said it had been “a banner year for conservatives in the Texas House,” and while “many things remain undone,” he was “committed to continuing this work through the special sessions and into this coming term.”
A few weeks later, Paddie announced his withdrawal.
