AUSTIN, Texas — Club for Growth Action launched its latest ad Wednesday against Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan featuring his former primary opponent Alicia Davis. 

“Dade Phelan has not listened to us,” said Davis in the ad. 

The anti-tax organization spent more than $1 million on anti-Phelan TV ads, because they blame him for the failure of a school voucher bill that would use taxpayer dollars toward private schools. 

“We want to see Gov. Abbott’s bills passed and we want a new speaker who will fight hard for it,” said David McIntosh, president of Club for Growth Action. 

With the May 28 runoffs looming, the group plans to spend even more to oust Phelan and support political newcomer David Covey. Covey also has the backing of former President Donald Trump and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Both want to see Phelan unseated because he voted to impeach Paxton. But in Phelan’s home district, some see bipartisanship as a positive. 

“Has he worked across the aisle? Yes. But that’s what makes us Texas and not Washington D.C,” said Joe Evans, chair of the Jefferson County Republican Party. 

Nearly $6 million has been spent in the House District 21 race, according to AdImpact, the most in state history on a Texas house race. 

Some local Beaumont republicans believe the money distracts from the impact Phelan made during his tenure. 

“Because we have Speaker Phelan at the helm of things, we’re at the forefront when it comes to funding for highways, when it comes to funding for public ed,” said Evans. 

Phelan told Capital Tonight in March he’s confident in the security of his political future and experts suggest the money mounting against him may not make a difference. 

“The ads can do a good job of mobilizing people to vote for who they’re interested in but if somebody changes their vote choice strictly based on a 30-second ad from a not very well-known source our republic is in real trouble if that happens a lot,” said James Nelson, a professor of political science at Lamar University. 

The race will likely be decided by a small margin. If Phelan is ​successful, his opponents say their money is still well spent. 

“We found in other races when our candidate doesn’t win the person comes back and they’re much more willing to follow their constituents,” said McIntosh.  

Since the primary election, $2.6 million has been spent in this race and more is expected to be spent in the last days leading up to the May 28 runoff.