Texas Capitol in Austin
In Texas, a red state that many view as a bastion of conservative governance, trial lawyers are spending big in state legislative races this year. The pre- and post-primary spending by the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and affiliated groups indicates a two-pronged approach on the part of trial lawyers: help GOP candidates who oppose tort reform get through their March primary, then go all in working to help Democrats diminish Republican statehouse majorities this November.
If all goes according to the Texas Trial Lawyers Association’s plan, there will be fewer Republicans in the Texas Legislature next year and among the GOP’s reduced ranks will be more opponents of tort reform. This context explains why many found it odd to see that the TTLA was listed as a cosponsor of last month’s Texas Republican Party Convention.
“Trial lawyers have historically been one of the largest funders of Democrats in Texas, and 2026 is shaping up to be no exception,” noted a recent report in the Texas Voice. “According to campaign finance data from the Texas Ethics Commission, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association has already begun making significant financial investments into Democrat candidates running to flip at least three of the most vulnerable Republican-held seats in the Texas House of Representatives.”
“The Texas Trial Lawyers Association’s role in efforts to help Democrats defeat Republicans appears to go far beyond these donations to Democrat candidates,” the Texas Voice added, noting that the TTLA is now an official partner of Blueprint Texas PAC, an organization affiliated with former State Senator Wendy Davis (D) that is working to elect more Democrats to the Texas Legislature. Other groups partnering with Blueprint Texas PAC and TTLA include organizations tied to Beto O’Rourke, labor unions, and George Soros-funded operations.
“The Texas Trial Lawyers Association is cutting $25,000 checks to Dems seeking to flip Texas House seats,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. “Why, then, did the Texas Republican Party welcome their infiltration as a cosponsor of last month’s convention? Don’t be surprised if the same trial lawyer-aligned groups also seek to infiltrate the midterm convention in Texas this September.”
Gov. Greg Abbott is now running for reelection on a property tax limitation and relief package that ATR supports because it will get at the root cause of rising property tax burdens. Meanwhile, the TTLA is working to elect more legislators who will oppose Gov. Abbott’s agenda come January. That’s something to keep in mind if the TTLA or the American Association for Justice, the TTLA’s national partner that is supporting James Talarico and other Democrats running for federal office, is advertised as a cosponsor of the GOP midterm convention in Dallas this fall.