Carrollton is the latest city to host a GOP-on-GOP fight, thanks to reports that local attorney Mitch Little will make a bid for Republican Kronda Thimesch’s House seat in District 65, which includes parts of Carrollton, Dallas, Lewisville, Plano and elsewhere. Little, a partner at Scheef and Stone, with an office in Frisco, saw his public profile rise considerably during the Senate impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, where he served on the AG’s defense team. During the two-week trial, Little's aggressive, sanctimonious cross-examination style managed to steal a bit of the spotlight from his better-known and controversial colleague, Houston attorney Tony Buzbee.
More and more in the Lone Star State, a Republican's true rivals aren't Democrats, but other Republicans. On Tuesday Little filed a campaign treasurer appointment with the state, which enables him to begin fundraising for an election in Texas. But filing papers to run for office against Thimesch isn't the first time Little has taken shots at her.
On Oct. 3, after calling House impeachment managers Andrew Murr and Ann Johnson “clowns” on X after some of Paxton’s personal information was left on some of impeachment-related documents made public, he aimed his ire at other local Republicans, including Thimesch.
This crap is your fault @MattShaheen @leachfortexas @candynoble @KrondaForTexas @JaredLPatterson @FrazierForTexas These are the people you took up with. Behold your work.
— Mitch Little (@realmitchlittle) October 3, 2023
“This crap is your fault,” he wrote. “@MattShaheen @leachfortexas @candynoble @KrondaForTexas @JaredLPatterson @FrazierForTexas These are the people you took up with. Behold your work.”
If you’re wondering where the conflict between fellow Republicans who attend the same church lies, you don’t have to think too hard. Thimesch was one of the 121 state reps who voted to impeach Paxton in May, an overwhelming majority that included many ultraconservative House members. Since his acquittal, Paxton has vowed to support opposition to a number of GOP House members when their primaries roll around.
Little did not reply to an email or phone call requesting comment. Thimesch, who served on the Lewisville ISD board of trustees before joining the house in 2022, touted her conservative bona fides before addressing the drama with Little in a statement shared on X by Texas Tribune’s Patrick Svitek.
“Mitch Little noted his disagreement with me on a single issue, which he and I discussed in August,” Thimesch wrote. “We both attend Bent Tree Bible Fellowship and I asked Mitch that day if I could pray for him and his family. I understand that he felt strongly enough about that vote that he chose to resign as my campaign treasurer and file to run against me. That is certainly his right to do in the great state of Texas. I’ve run in a competitive primary twice already, and won both times – which I plan to do again in 2024.”
I love this so much. @KrondaForTexas had an amazing first session. And watching her crush Mitch Little — or “Little Mitch” as he’s known by many — will be a blast. Can’t wait! https://t.co/zmbyKGhcYU
— Jeff Leach (@leachfortexas) October 18, 2023
State Rep. Jeff Leach of Plano, one of the Republicans whom Little called out on social media, spoke emotionally at the end of the impeachment trial about the long, friendly and loving history he shared with Paxton before he advocated for his removal from office. Leach is one of the GOP lawmakers Paxton has vowed to campaign against soon.
On Wednesday morning, Leach got in on the action with a little name-calling of his own, writing on X, “I love this so much. @KrondaForTexas had an amazing first session. And watching her crush Mitch Little — or ‘Little Mitch’ as he’s known by many — will be a blast. Can’t wait!”
It seems that the one thing conservative elected officials enjoy more than opposing one another these days is calling each other childish names.
Perhaps the writing was on the social media wall regarding Little’s future political plans. On Tuesday, Buzbee posted a picture of some “kick ass” Nike sneakers that Little had gifted him. Paxton retweeted Buzbee's post with a note reading “Well…@TonyBuzbee2 and @realmitchlittle you both are the best! Texas and I are both blessed! Houston needs you, Tony. Mitch, I think the Texas House needs you. #txlege."
