In a key red state, Republicans are campaigning to elect "authentic" conservatives before Trump's potential return.

In preparation for President-elect Trump's inauguration, conservatives in the most populous red state in America are establishing a new Texas Republican Leadership Fund (TRLF) to elect "true" conservatives to key leadership positions.

Although Texas is led by a conservative Republican governor and has a majority in the legislature, the last four House speakers have been elected with the support of Democrats. This has resulted in Democrats having an outsized level of power and influence in the largest Republican state in the country. Having an inside track with the Texas speaker also gives Democrats significant control over important issues affecting the nation, such as enforcing Texas' more than 1,250 miles of border.

The principal donor of the TRLF, Alex Fairly, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that it is necessary for a change.

The Texas Republican Leadership Fund (TRLF) is officially registering with the Texas Ethics Commission on Tuesday and will launch with $20 million in initial funding, with the support of many of the state's most influential leaders who are determined to make Texas the leading conservative state.

If all Republicans in the Texas House vote with the caucus to elect a conservative leader, Fairly said $20 million will be available for use in the primaries and upcoming 2026 general election to hold elected officials "accountable" if they side with a Democratic-backed speaker.

Conservatives in Texas are frustrated with Republicans in the state legislature making deals with Democrats, and Trump has emphasized the need for strong conservative leadership in the state to support his administration's agenda as he prepares to return to the White House in January.

""Supporting President Trump and his agenda has a massive impact on what happens across the country, especially with a Republican majority in the House," he said."

The ongoing struggle in the Texas legislature centers on who will succeed Rep. Dade Phelan as Speaker of the House. Phelan, who assumed office in 2021, withdrew from the race after facing harsh criticism from Republicans for not passing conservative priorities such as school choice and for his role in the unsuccessful impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

On January 14th, the Texas House of Representatives will choose a new speaker, with two prominent candidates: Rep. Dustin Burrows, supported by Phelan allies, and Rep. David Cook, who has the backing of more conservative factions.

Burrows declared the race over after securing the necessary 76 votes on the Democratic side of the aisle.

The move by Burrows to negotiate with Democrats has sparked anger among conservatives, including Donald Trump Jr., who stated that it goes against the voters' mandate to Republicans.

"It's unbelievable that a group of so-called Republicans is cutting a deal with liberal Democrats to elect a speaker instead of uniting behind the Republican nominee, @DavidCookTexas! Republicans have a mandate!"

Fairly, an entrepreneur and health care executive who has been a vocal supporter of school choice, believes that the race for the speakership is not set in stone. This time, he believes there is strong resolve among Texas Republicans to stop moderates from handing over control to the Democrats.

"Although there has been advancement in the current election cycle towards conservative goals, there may still be tasks to accomplish in the upcoming primary cycle, he stated. "These resources will be utilized to enlarge a genuine Republican majority.""

"Democrats do not give their votes away for free; they expect something in return. As a result, the House is not truly controlled by the majority, but rather by a coalition of Democrats and a minority of Republicans. This puts Texas at a disadvantage in achieving its goals, as it would be better off with a majority of Republicans leading the way."

"This time we're bringing this out into the light."