Ken Paxton targets Collin County Republicans who tried to impeach him

Paxton targets Republican who tried to impeach him

State Rep. Jeff Leach called Ken Paxton a friend and mentor. Now, Paxton is backing Leach's opponent as the attorney general targets Republicans in his home county who tried to impeach him.

COLLIN COUNTY, Texas - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told supporters he wants to clean house in next month's primary elections, targeting Republicans in his home county who voted to impeach him.

The best example of that might be the Republican race for Texas House District 67 in Collin County.

The incumbent, Jeff Leach, was one of the House impeachment managers.

Leach has the backing of Governor Greg Abbott, while Paxton is endorsing Leach's opponent, Daren Meis.

Paxton Impeachment Trial: Rep. Leach's Closing Argument

Plano Republican Jeff Leach gives an emotional closing argument during Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's historic impeachment trial. Leach, who considers Paxton to be a mentor, urged the Senators to vote guilty.

Leach's tearful speech to the Senate jurors in Paxton's impeachment trial was one of the defining moments of the failed attempt to remove Paxton from office.

In the speech, Leach described to the Senators how hard it was for him to turn against his former friend and ally.

"This has not just been a hard vote, this has been one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do in my life," said Leach during the closing argument in September.

Now Leach finds himself the target of Paxton's political influence, and he's not alone. The attorney general is supporting opponents of all Collin County Republican House incumbents, who all voted to impeach the attorney general.

FOX 4 asked Leach about Paxton endorsing his opponent, Daren Meis.

"To be honest, I am not focused on that. The voters aren’t talking to me about that. If they do and ask, I am very honest with why I did what I did. I don’t regret that at all," he replied.

In a further sign of the divide within the Texas Republican Party, Gov. Abbott was in McKinney Tuesday to campaign for Leach.

"I need you to return Jeff Leach to the Texas House of Representatives so that he and I can work together to deliver another property tax cut for you and your families," Abbott told the crowd.

Daren Meis, a businessman and former pilot, makes it no secret political alliances are a factor in this race.

"The actions of Jeff Leach will be forever recorded in the history notes of the 88th Texas Legislature," Meis said during a campaign speech.

Daren Meis (Source: Meis Campaign)

Meis argued that Leach failed the people of his district.

"We put our trust in him, and he put his trust in Dade Phelan. We put our confidence in Jeff, and he put his confidence and led in a sham impeachment process," Meis said.

SMU political scientist Matthew Wilson says the outcome of these primary races will give a good indication of the direction the Texas Republican Party is going.

"If you think about the kinds of people who participate in primaries, it tends to be the more activists the more ideologically hardcore folks. Therefore a Paxton endorsement, a Trump endorsement, is really coveted by these candidates because it guarantees a share of the vote," said Wilson.

Leach also supported education savings accounts, a priority for Governor Abbot that failed in repeated sessions last year.

Abbott endorsed a long list of candidates who support school vouchers in hopes of finally getting a bill to the governor's desk.