In 2023, North Texas attorney Mitch Little was defending Attorney General Ken Paxton during his impeachment trial. Now, in just a few weeks, Little will be sworn in as a member of the Texas House after unseating one-term State Rep. Kronda Thimesch.
Little describes the impeachment trial as a pivotal moment that gave him an “insider’s view” of the dysfunction in Austin.
“It made me mad,” Little said. “I didn’t like that we had Republicans who weren’t acting with fidelity to their values. I also didn’t like that the leadership structure was kind of purposely designed to generate bad results. I felt like if we had enough people like me who would run on a platform of reform and fidelity to conservatives, we might actually be able to affect positive change. Fortunately, it looks like we’re starting to do that.”
Little has emphasized the need to reform the culture in Austin, particularly within the Texas House. He says lawmakers need to focus on the priorities of their constituents and work more cohesively as a team.
“Our legislators need to touch grass,” Little said. “They need to understand that the voters back home sent them to Austin to achieve a mission. If you’re a Republican, that mission is to advance legislative priorities. We can’t have Republican legislators from far-flung areas of the state advancing their own side quest to the detriment of the overall team mission.”
As he prepares for the legislative session, Little says his priorities include school finance, school choice, and restricting foreign ownership of Texas real estate. “One thing I promised my voters I would get done is file a bill to divest the Chinese Communist Party of owning real estate in our state,” Little said. “They own too much of it already. They’re too much of an influencing force on our culture, and we cannot cede ground to them in Texas. This is a bipartisan, heavily supported idea.”
Little is also focused on maintaining accountability in office and staying grounded amidst the often hectic pace of Austin politics. “Austin, the lobby, the establishment—they never let your feet touch the ground. You’re walking from thing to thing, and it makes you feel special and important,” Little said. To counteract this, he has hired staff members with strong ties to grassroots politics who can help him stay focused on his mission.
He also emphasized that his legislative role is not a long-term career goal. “I’m a trial attorney and always will be one. Serving as a legislator is a complement to my life, not my identity,” Little said.