The Rockwall County Republican Party posted a notice for county voters claiming that Texas Rep. Justin Holland has acted in direct opposition to the party.
The major responsibilities of the GOP are to “educate and inform our voters, to get Republicans out to vote and to WIN elections!” the notice explained.
“We respect Rep. Holland (R-Rockwall) for the good votes he has made on our behalf over the years; however, he has grown increasingly unresponsive to voters and the Republican Party, especially over the last two legislative sessions. In doing so, he has insulted and belittled local Republican voters and your Rockwall County Republican Party,” read the notice.
“In this year’s 88th session in particular, Rep. Holland has multiple votes and actions that are in direct opposition to the Republican Party. Voters must be aware of his continued disregard for Republican principles and priorities.”
The county GOP then detailed some of the actions taken by Holland that were apparently not aligned with the party, including his vote to keep Texas State Rep. Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) as the Speaker of the House with “full knowledge that Phelan had and would continue to appoint Democrat Chairs of powerful legislative committees.”
Holland was also one of 60 Republican representatives to vote to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, with just 23 Republican representatives voting against the impeachment.
Other actions by Holland listed by the Rockwall GOP included voting against school choice and voting in favor of gun restrictions. The notice claimed that Holland has also referred to the Texas State Republican Party and its leadership as “AWOL and irrelevant.”
Gov. Greg Abbott later expressed his agreement with the Rockwall County Republican Party’s statements. In a post on X, Abbott quoted points from the notice saying Holland “has grown increasingly unresponsive to voters and the Republican Party,” “belittled Republican voters, and disregarded Republican principles.”
Abbott then added his own remarks, noting that Holland not only “voted against gun rights and school choice, but voted to put Democrats in leadership positions.”
No public response from Holland was immediately available, but Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, told KERA News, “While the party may come out against him, that’s just a signal to Representative Holland that he better paddle harder if he intends to hold this seat.”
Holland will be up against challengers Dennis London and Katrina Pierson to represent Texas House District 33 in the March primaries.