On Wednesday, July 30, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 11 on a 17–12 vote, with all Democrats opposed, and Sen. Robert Nichols (R–Jacksonville) the lone Republican to vote against the bill.

The measure restores the Texas Attorney General’s authority to unilaterally prosecute election crimes, a power previously struck down by the courts. Republican leadership called the bill a necessary step to ensure election integrity.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick praised the bill’s passage, stating:

“Texans know that election integrity is of utmost importance, and securing our elections has been a top priority of mine. Meanwhile, several rogue district and county attorneys across the state are refusing to enforce our election laws and prosecute election crimes. That is completely unacceptable. … With the passage of this bill, Texans can rest assured that our elections are safer and more secure than ever.”

Nichols’s vote aligned with the full Democratic caucus and came as no surprise to conservative observers. Throughout recent sessions, he has consistently diverged from party priorities on a number of high-profile bills:

  • In February 2025, Nichols was the only Republican to vote against SB 2, a school choice bill backed by the governor.

  • In 2023, he voted in favor of impeaching Attorney General Ken Paxton.

  • He authored an amendment to SB 19 that critics say weakened the GOP’s attempt to ban taxpayer-funded lobbying by creating carve-outs for groups like the Texas Association of School Boards and Texas Municipal League.

  • He voted against legislation banning private employer vaccine mandates and opposed the 2023 “Death Star Bill” aimed at limiting municipal regulatory power.

The label “RINO” — often used by Texas conservatives to describe Republicans who consistently oppose the party platform — has followed Nichols for years. With votes against school choice, election integrity, and conservative governance reforms, his record has made him indistinguishable from the Democrats he frequently sides with.

Analysts at Rice University’s Baker Institute have repeatedly ranked Nichols as the least conservative Republican in the Texas Senate based on voting behavior across multiple sessions, as The Dallas Express reported.

In multiple reports, Nichols has been labeled by conservative commentators as the Senate’s most liberal Republican — a reputation reinforced by his consistent breaks from GOP leadership. Earlier this year, a DX analysis showed Nichols received the lowest approval score among Republican primary voters in a survey of alignment with conservative priorities.

Nichols announced in June that he will not seek reelection in 2026, setting up a competitive Republican primary in Senate District 3. Candidates such as State Rep. Trent Ashby have already declared, positioning themselves as more aligned with the party’s grassroots base.

The Dallas Express reached out to Nichols for comment about his decision to once again side with Democrats on SB 11 but did not receive a response by the time of publication. This article will be updated if a statement is provided.