Rep. David Cook, a two-term member of the Texas House, secured the backing of most House Republicans on Saturday in a closed-door meeting at the Capitol, emerging as their preferred candidate for speaker ahead of the upcoming legislative session in January, as first reported by The Dallas Morning News.
However, his victory may not be enough to secure the position, as Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock, his primary challenger, claimed that with support from Democrats, he has the votes needed to win the speakership.
Burrows announced his success in garnering bipartisan support, stating, “I have secured the votes of enough of my colleagues. It is bipartisan.” He provided a list showing 38 Republican and 38 Democratic supporters.
The official vote to elect the speaker will take place on January 14, requiring a majority of 76 out of the 150 members in the House.
Cook, who has been mayor of Mansfield for over a decade and served on key committees in the House, acknowledged the race is still ongoing. “I’ll continue working between now and Jan. 14 to earn the vote of every member of the Texas Republican caucus — as well as any Democrat,” he said after the meeting.
Saturday’s closed-door vote involved all 88 Republican members, including both current and incoming representatives.
The House Democratic Caucus later issued a statement saying its members would be free to vote for any candidate other than Cook. Two Democratic representatives, Ana-Maria Ramos and John Bryant, have already announced their candidacies for speaker.
Burrows’ alignment with former Speaker Dade Phelan, who did not seek re-election for a third term, raised concerns among some Republicans. Phelan faced criticism from right-wing members for his handling of the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton and the perceived failure to pass conservative priorities. Rep. Nate Schatzline, a Cook supporter, described Burrows’ candidacy as a betrayal of the party and the state’s values.
