Steve Allison

Stephen Philip Allison (born January 4, 1947) is a Texas politician representing District 121 in the Texas House of Representatives.

Personal life

Allison is a graduate of Texas Christian University, he met his wife Peggy while attending the school. He also attended University of Houston Law Center. Allison and his wife Peggy have 2 children, and are both members of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church where they both have taught Sunday school. He is an attorney.

Political career

Early political career

Allison has served on the Alamo Heights Independent School District Early Childhood Task Force, and on the VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority Board of Trustees for 8 years and the last 2 as Vice Chairman.

Allison was elected to represent District 121 in the Texas House of Representatives on November 6, 2018 and was sworn in on January 8, 2019. Alison ran with the endorsement of the outgoing state representative for the seat, retiring House Speaker Joe Straus.

Voucher vote and 2024 primary defeat

In November 2023, Allison voted against Republican Governor Greg Abbott's proposal for state-funded vouchers for private schools. Allison was one of 21 Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to remove Abbott's voucher plan from the education funding bill; the amendment to drop the voucher proposal passed 83–64. After his vote, Allison reported being harassed at his home by pro-school choice activists.

Allion's vote against Abbott's voucher proposal also prompted primary challengers. Primary challenger criminal defense attorney Marc LaHood ran with endorsements from Abbott and other Texas Republicans. Allison was also the target of coordinated efforts by several PACs backed by Pennsylvania businessman Jeff Yass to defeat Republicans who opposed the voucher plan.

Although Allison had a conservative voting record on nearly every issue, LaHood ran to his right, and his primary challenge was boosted by support from Abbott (who spent $672,000 on LaHood's behalf in the final months of the primary campaign). Texas's Republican Agriculture Commissioner, Sid Miller, ran a pro-LaHood ad in which he posed with a rifle and declared that Allison was the target of his "Rino hunt." Allison, meanwhile, was supported by House Speaker Dade Phelan, and ran with the endorsement of the ''San Antonio Express-News''.

In the March 2024 primary, Allison was defeated for renomination: LaHood won with some 54% of the vote; Allison received 34%, and a third candidate, Michael Champion, received 7%. The ''Express-News'' editorial board described Allison's loss as an intensification of the removal of "traditional, pragmatic conservative Republicans" by the state party.Editorial: Super Tuesday was less than super for anti-voucher Texas Republicans
''San Antonio Express-News'' (March 6, 2024).

Elections

2018

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allison, Steve
Living people
Republican Party members of the Texas House of Representatives
Place of birth missing (living people)
Texas Christian University alumni
University of Houston Law Center alumni
1947 births
21st-century members of the Texas Legislature