GOP Adding Pressure in Speaker Race as Session Draws Near

The start of the 89th session of the Texas Legislature on Tuesday inches ever closer, but wide divisions in the race for the House speaker have left Republican party officials scrambling to consolidate support around Mansfield Republican David Cook.

Early last year, the Republican Party of Texas censured the previous House speaker, conservative Republican Dade Phelan of Beaumont, for presiding over the impeachment trial of Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and for failing to push harder for a private school voucher program.

Though Phelan had claimed to have enough support to fend off a challenge from the right by Mansfield Republican David Cook, last month he formally withdrew from the running. In the vacuum, Lubbock Republican Dustin Burrows, an ally of Phelan’s, filed for the speakership with support from both Republicans and Democrats, creating a schism in the party.

As the start of session approaches, state and local party officials have been expanding efforts to try to guarantee the position for Cook. On Monday, Attorney General Paxton threw his weight behind Cook for the speakership while on a speaking tour across the state. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, also a Republican, on Tuesday urged his party members in the House to support Cook over Burrows, whom he labeled a “counterfeit speaker.”

And throughout this week, multiple Republicans representatives received texts from the chairman of the Texas Republican Party, Abraham George, urging them to “unite” behind Cook, the Texas Tribune reported on Thursday. At least one of those lawmakers — Palestine Republican Rep. Cody Harris — filed a complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission over George’s pressure tactics and called for his investigation.

On Friday, another local challenge emerged with KDFW’s report that the chair of the Dallas County Republican Party, Allen West, threatened to censure two local Republican House members if they do not vote for Cook.

West wrote the following in letters he sent to Reps. Angie Chen Button and Morgan Meyer:

“In the event you do not support Representative David Cook for Speaker or you vote for any attempt to change the rules to allow for a secret ballot, Dallas County Precinct Chairs shall:

1. “Proceed with a vote of your censure with all applicable penalties imposed.

2. “Immediately campaign against you, and

3. “Actively seek your replacements.”

Other county Republican party chairs threatened members for supporting Burrows last month, too.

The House will vote on a speaker when the 89th session of the Texas Legislature begins on Tuesday.