LOPEZ CAUGHT BETWEEN RABID MAGAS AND CAMPAIGN CASH; GOP INFIGHTING MAY AFFECT HER PARTY'S SUPPORT

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Hard-core Republicans in South Texas are crying betrayal as  Rep. Janie Lopez has so far resisted pressure from top party leaders to sign the ”Republican Contract for Texas.”

Lopez, who serves House District 37 encompassing Cameron County and Willacy County, has ignited controversy within South Texas conservative circles. Lopez, who hard-core MAGA  constituents had hoped she would align firmly with Republican values, has so far withstood the pressure from the likes of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and top party leaders and declined to sign the “Republican Contract for Texas.”

Currently, she is facing challenger Brownsville attorney and former Cameron County Justice of the Peace Democrat  Jonathan Gracia in the November general election. Gracia emerged as the top vote getter in a Democratic party primary runoff.

(The holdouts have become targets of the governor's wrath and inside fighting over the Abbott plan has resulted in accusations of her being a “Republican-In-Name-Only” (RINO), a term conservatives use to describe members they feel are not genuinely committed to the party’s core principles. Memes like the one below have appeared in some social media chat rooms and Facebook pages.)

This contract, strongly endorsed by Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, aims to fortify Republican influence within the Texas House. Their new “contract with Texas” broadly seeks to realign the lower chamber with the priorities of the Republican party, which includes a pledge to end the tradition of allowing Democrats to chair House committees

Nearly two dozen GOP state lawmakers and candidates are actively campaigning to overhaul the Texas House’s rules in a significant effort to diminish Democratic influence and weaken key power mechanisms currently utilized by the Speaker Phelan  to control the chamber.

In an open letter titled “Contract with Texas” the signatories – including some highly regarded conservative voices – have explicitly called on the future House leader to adhere to a stringent list of Republican demands. This letter serves as a direct rebuke to Phelan.

Lopez whose campaign is funded by Dade Phelan and the "traditional" Republican establishment, refuses to sign the contract in fear that she will lose out on money for her campaign. Abbott's supporters ask: Is she MAGA enough?

Last year, Phelan allocated chairmanship positions to Democrats in eight out of the chamber’s 34 standing committees, while ensuring the most high-profile assignments remained with Republicans. This decision has been met with fierce opposition from the most strident MAGA Republicans, who view it as a concession that weakens the Republicans’ legislative agenda.

Critics argue that Lopez's decision is a betrayal to the Republicans of District 37, who had hoped for
stronger representation that aligns closely with the broader state Republican vision.

The dissension Lopez faces underscores the growing ideological rifts within the Texas GOP. As more Republicans rally behind the “Contract with Texas,” the division between those pushing for stricter party unity and those who refuse to sign the contract is deepening.

Lopez's reluctance to sign the contract reveals fundamental disagreements about the party’s future direction and raises questions about the kind of Republican leadership District 37 has at the moment.

In a political landscape where party loyalty and ideological purity often dictate career trajectories, Lopez’s decision may very well become a focal point in the next election cycle, challenging her to either realign with her constituents’ expectations or face the political repercussions from the Texas MAGA adherents.