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| Texas House Speaker Facing Political Scandal Says He Won’t Run Again | Texas House Speaker Facing Political Scandal Says He Won’t Run Again |
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| AUSTIN — With the fallout from a secretly recorded meeting with a conservative activist plunging him deeper into scandal, the Republican speaker of the Texas House of Representatives announced on Tuesday that he would not seek re-election to the leadership post or in his district. | AUSTIN — With the fallout from a secretly recorded meeting with a conservative activist plunging him deeper into scandal, the Republican speaker of the Texas House of Representatives announced on Tuesday that he would not seek re-election to the leadership post or in his district. |
| Though many inside the party had been pressuring him to step aside, the announcement by Speaker Dennis Bonnen tipped Texas Republicans into further uncertainty ahead of the 2020 elections. | Though many inside the party had been pressuring him to step aside, the announcement by Speaker Dennis Bonnen tipped Texas Republicans into further uncertainty ahead of the 2020 elections. |
| “After much prayer, consultation and thoughtful consideration with my family, it is clear that I can no longer seek re-election as State Representative of District 25 and, subsequently, as speaker of the House,” Mr. Bonnen said in statement released by his office. | “After much prayer, consultation and thoughtful consideration with my family, it is clear that I can no longer seek re-election as State Representative of District 25 and, subsequently, as speaker of the House,” Mr. Bonnen said in statement released by his office. |
| In an acknowledgment of his evaporating support, Mr. Bonnen also listed the names of 43 Republican colleagues who had “made clear that it is in the best interest of both myself and he House to move on.” | In an acknowledgment of his evaporating support, Mr. Bonnen also listed the names of 43 Republican colleagues who had “made clear that it is in the best interest of both myself and he House to move on.” |
| Mr. Bonnen’s announcement came just over a week after the release of a recording of a June 12 meeting he had with a conservative activist at the State Capitol that included what critics have called a quid-pro-quo offer that is now under investigation by the Texas Rangers. | Mr. Bonnen’s announcement came just over a week after the release of a recording of a June 12 meeting he had with a conservative activist at the State Capitol that included what critics have called a quid-pro-quo offer that is now under investigation by the Texas Rangers. |
| In the meeting, Mr. Bonnen offered to provide Michael Quinn Sullivan, the leader of Empower Texans, with long-sought press credentials to the House floor in exchange for help from Mr. Sullivan in working to defeat 10 moderate Republicans whom the speaker perceived to be out-of-step with his conservative agenda. | In the meeting, Mr. Bonnen offered to provide Michael Quinn Sullivan, the leader of Empower Texans, with long-sought press credentials to the House floor in exchange for help from Mr. Sullivan in working to defeat 10 moderate Republicans whom the speaker perceived to be out-of-step with his conservative agenda. |
| Though the outlines of that offer were revealed in July, the release of the tape last week led to a scathing rebuke by the Texas House Republican Caucus, which said it condemned his behavior “in the strongest possible terms.” | Though the outlines of that offer were revealed in July, the release of the tape last week led to a scathing rebuke by the Texas House Republican Caucus, which said it condemned his behavior “in the strongest possible terms.” |
| Mr. Bonnen, who lives in Lake Jackson in southeast Texas, has been in the House since 1997. His older brother, Greg Bonnen, is also a House member, and was one of the 43 Republicans the speaker listed as telling him it was time to move on. | |
| Dennis Bonnen’s term as speaker does not end until January 2021, though his departure is expected to set off a race among Republicans to succeed him. | |
| Republicans have dominated Texas politics for more than two decades but Democratic gains in the last election have raised hopes among Democrats and fears among Republicans that Democrats could be within reach of seizing control of the House for the first time since 2003. | Republicans have dominated Texas politics for more than two decades but Democratic gains in the last election have raised hopes among Democrats and fears among Republicans that Democrats could be within reach of seizing control of the House for the first time since 2003. |
| The scandal surrounding Mr. Bonnen and his impending departure have only energized Democrats. | The scandal surrounding Mr. Bonnen and his impending departure have only energized Democrats. |
| “Texans are tired of politicians, like Republican Speaker Bonnen, who use back room deals, cover-ups and outright lies to pursue power over everything,” the chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, Gilberto Hinojosa, said. “Now more than ever, it is clear that only the election of Texas Democrats will return of ethics and good governance to our great state.” | “Texans are tired of politicians, like Republican Speaker Bonnen, who use back room deals, cover-ups and outright lies to pursue power over everything,” the chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, Gilberto Hinojosa, said. “Now more than ever, it is clear that only the election of Texas Democrats will return of ethics and good governance to our great state.” |
| Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, applauded Mr. Bonnen’s more than two decades of legislative service in a statement, and called on Republicans “to unite and work together” to maintain their majority in the House in the 2020 elections. | |
| Mark Jones, a political scientist at Rice University, said that it was clear before Tuesday’s announcement that Mr. Bonnen would not be renominated for speaker by the Republican Caucus. His decision to not seek re-election, Mr. Jones said, “should calm the waters.” |