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The Texas Tribune

The Texas Tribune

A new Texas GOP rule could alter the House speaker’s race — and ban some Republicans from appearing in primaries

The Texas Tribune
Summary
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76% Informative

Rule 44 of the Texas Republican Party of Texas ' rulebook deals with censures.

Rules would bar members from running in primaries for two years if they have not been censured in previous two years .

Rule 44 faces its first major test as part of a heated Republican fight for speaker of the state House .

Rule 44 is evidence of increased polarization that is no longer confined to Democrats vs. Republicans , experts say.

Earlier this year , the Idaho GOP passed language similar to Rule 44 , prompting one lawmaker to decry the change as akin to communism.

For decades , state or federal courts have slapped down state parties’ attempts to exert more control over their primaries.