The election of Dustin Burrows as Speaker of the Texas House on January 14, 2025, is a pivotal example of RINO tendencies. Burrows secured the speakership with a coalition of 49 Democrats and 36 Republicans, defeating Rep. David Cook, who was backed by the more conservative wing of the party, by a vote of 85-55. This reliance on Democratic votes to achieve a leadership position is a hallmark of RINO behavior, as it suggests a willingness to compromise conservative principles for power. The Republican Party of Texas (RPT) explicitly opposes such bipartisan arrangements, with its 2025 legislative priorities demanding an end to awarding committee chairmanships to Democrats and requiring all committees to be majority Republican. Burrows’ coalition, however, signals a continuation of the power-sharing practices that have frustrated conservative activists, as he has not committed to banning Democratic chairs, leaving the decision to lawmakers.
This bipartisan approach is not merely a procedural issue but a substantive one. By aligning with Democrats, Burrows and his supporters risk diluting the conservative agenda that Texas Republicans, who control both the House (88-62) and Senate (20-11), were elected to advance. The RPT’s priorities, including border security, election integrity, and banning taxpayer-funded lobbying, reflect the will of the party’s grassroots, yet Burrows’ leadership election suggests a preference for establishment moderation over ideological purity. Posts on X, such as one from @CSalcedoShow on May 10, 2025, accuse legislators like Rep. Jeff Leach of prioritizing Democratic bills and undermining conservative goals, reinforcing the perception of RINO behavior. While not conclusive, such sentiments highlight a growing frustration among conservatives with legislators who appear to prioritize personal or bipartisan agendas over party loyalty.
The 2025 session, running from January 14 to June 2, is tasked with addressing critical issues like the state’s $24 billion budget surplus, school choice, and border security. However, early indications suggest that some Republican legislators are failing to champion these conservative priorities, further cementing their RINO status. For instance, Burrows’ supporters in the 2023 session were more likely to have voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, a conservative firebrand, and to oppose school voucher proposals, both of which are litmus tests for Texas conservatives. The impeachment of Paxton, driven by allegations of corruption but viewed by many conservatives as a politically motivated attack, was a flashpoint that exposed divisions within the party. Legislators who supported it, many of whom backed Burrows, are seen as aligning with establishment interests over the grassroots.
School choice, a cornerstone of Governor Greg Abbott’s agenda and the RPT’s priorities, has been another area where RINO tendencies are evident. Despite Republican control of the legislature, the failure to pass a robust school voucher bill in 2023 was attributed to a coalition of Democrats and moderate Republicans, including some who now support Burrows. In the 2025 session, the House’s slow progress on Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), despite 67% public support for universal ESAs and 72% for low-income ESAs, suggests a reluctance among some Republicans to fully embrace this conservative priority. This hesitation contrasts with the Senate, led by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, which has signaled a strong commitment to school choice and other conservative goals like property tax relief and grid reliability.
Border security, another top RPT priority, is also at risk of being sidelined by RINO legislators. The RPT calls for creating a Texas Department of Homeland Security to prevent illegal entry and deport undocumented immigrants, yet the House’s early focus on procedural matters like speaker elections and rules debates has delayed action on such issues. While 40% of Texans support increased border security spending, the lack of immediate legislative momentum suggests that some Republicans may be prioritizing less contentious issues to maintain bipartisan support. This contrasts with the Senate’s proactive stance, highlighting a disconnect within the party.
The RINO label is not just about individual votes but about a broader alignment with establishment interests over the grassroots. The 2025 session follows a contentious 2024 primary season where conservative challengers, backed by figures like Paxton and Abbott, ousted several moderate Republicans who opposed key conservative policies. Despite this turnover, the election of Burrows over Cook, who was supported by the insurgent wing, indicates that the establishment faction retains significant influence. Political science professor Matthew Wilson described this as a battle between a “conservative faction” supporting Cook and a “more establishment moderate faction” backing Burrows, with the latter’s victory signaling a continuation of a less conservative House.
This establishment lean is further evidenced by the RPT’s threat to censure Burrows’ supporters, potentially barring them from primary ballots under new party rules. Such a move underscores the depth of intra-party conflict, with grassroots activists viewing legislators who rely on Democratic votes or fail to advance conservative priorities as RINOs. The RPT’s platform, shaped by delegates at the 2024 state convention, emphasizes ideological purity, demanding policies like closing party primaries, banning gender ideology in schools, and ending taxpayer-funded lobbying. Legislators who deviate from these priorities, as Burrows and his coalition risk doing, are seen as betraying the party’s core values.
Defenders of Burrows and similar legislators might argue that bipartisan cooperation is necessary to govern effectively in a state as diverse as Texas. The speaker’s role requires managing a 150-member chamber, and securing Democratic votes can ensure legislative stability. Burrows himself promised to give every member a voice, suggesting an inclusive approach rather than ideological rigidity. Additionally, some argue that moderate Republicans are better positioned to pass broadly supported policies, like property tax relief (50% public support) or teacher pay raises (40% support), which require cross-party consensus.
However, these arguments falter against the expectations of Texas Republicans, who elected a trifecta government to deliver conservative outcomes. The RPT’s explicit rejection of Democratic chairmanships and power-sharing arrangements reflects a mandate for partisan discipline, not compromise. Moreover, the failure to prioritize issues like school choice and border security, despite public and party support, undermines claims of effective governance. The risk of alienating Democratic supporters by banning their chairs is outweighed by the need to maintain party unity and fulfill campaign promises.
In the 2025 Texas legislative session, legislators like Dustin Burrows and his supporters epitomize the RINO archetype through their reliance on Democratic votes, hesitation on conservative priorities, and alignment with establishment interests. Their actions contrast sharply with the RPT’s platform and the expectations of a Republican electorate that demands bold action on border security, school choice, and election integrity. While pragmatic governance requires some flexibility, the deliberate sidelining of grassroots priorities for bipartisan stability betrays the conservative mandate. As the session progresses, these legislators’ choices will either reinforce or challenge the RINO label, but the early evidence suggests a troubling disconnect from the party’s core principles.
Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer.
