Some of the nastiest donnybrooks were initiated by “establishment” or “moderate” Republicans against conservatives. The vindictive — and unsuccessful — impeachment proceedings brought against reform-minded University of Texas Regent Wallace Hall (who was appointed by Perry) in retaliation for his exposure of an influence-peddling scheme at crony-ridden UT is one example. Another is the ongoing campaign to remove from office conservative Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whom Texas voters overwhelmingly elected in 2014, and enthusiastically reelected in 2018 and 2022.
Paxton’s real “crime” is that he threw his hat into the GOP primary for the AG race in 2014 after the anointed establishment candidate, moderate Dan Branch, thought he had the Republican field to himself.