Republican David Cook of Mansfield was chosen to be the Texas GOP’s nominee for Speaker of the House Saturday, but it is Cook’s last-minute rival, Dustin Burrows of Lubbock, who has declared a victory in securing the gavel.
Saturday’s vote was marked by two rounds of intraparty stalemate, a dramatic capitol walkout by Burrows loyalists and a third round of voting after which Cook was named the caucus nominee. As Cook and Burrows spoke to the press following the vote, though, it became clear that both men’s claims to the House speaker's seat are shaky at best.
Cook clinched the GOP endorsement 48-14 during the voting’s third round, but over a dozen Burrow loyalists abstained from the vote by walking out of the chamber. While caucus rules mandate that all 88 House Republicans support the party’s nominee during January’s official speaker vote — support that would push Cook well over the 76 vote threshold to secure the Speaker seat — Burrows has maintained that a pieced-together coalition of rogue Republicans and Democrats will be enough to ensure his victory.
“The speaker’s race is over,” Burrows told the press shortly before releasing a bipartisan list of 76 pledged supporters.
It’s unbelievable what is happening in Texas right now. There is a group of so-called Republicans cutting a deal with liberal Democrats to elect a speaker instead of uniting behind the Republican nominee, @DavidCookTexas! Unbelievable! Republicans have a mandate!
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 9, 2024
Moments later, Cook released his own list of 62 backers; Burrows' claims of the race being “over” began to unravel once it was clear that several duplicate names appeared on both lists, and several Republicans named on Burrows’ list came forward to announce their support for Cook.
“I stand firm with my conservative colleagues — my vote for speaker is with David Cook,” Rep. Don McLaughlin, who was listed as a Burrows supporter, said in a statement. “Any claim that I support Dustin Burrows is pure deception.”
McLaughlin posted to social media that he voted for Cook during all three rounds of caucus voting. Another Republican listed by both Cook and Burrows, Paul Dyson, stated he would support Cook as the party’s nominee, and a third representative named as a Burrows supporter, Democrat Josey Garcia, stated she has not endorsed any candidate for speaker.
Both Cook and Burrows will likely spend the holiday season courting representatives in the sprint to 76 supporters. In a statement, Cook said the speaker’s race is “far from over,” but that he anticipates a triumphant vote when the House convenes in January.
“Though I have secured the votes of an overwhelming majority of Republican Caucus members, I have been encouraged by the conversations I have had with both Republicans and Democrats who are tired of the deceptive tactics used by those who are desperate to retain power,” Cook said. “I am confident I will be elected as the speaker of the House when we convene in January.”
A Race Defined by Drama
As if Saturday’s proceedings weren’t dramatic enough, Burrows' appearance on the ballot for speaker was an 11th-hour development.
Last Friday, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan announced he would not seek a third term as the lower chamber's leader. Burrows, a longtime supporter of Phelan, filed the paperwork to run against Cook Thursday evening. Phelan’s announcement came after months of insisting that he could stave off mounting support for Cook’s candidacy.
“By stepping aside, I believe we create the best opportunity for our members to rally around a new candidate who will uphold the principles that make our House one of the most exceptional, deliberative legislative bodies in the country — a place where honor, integrity, and the right of every member to vote their district takes utmost precedent,” Phelan said in a statement.
Cook has earned the support of the party’s far-right contingent after Phelan's reputation as a moderate earned the ire of state party leaders. In his two terms as speaker, Phelan respected the longtime tradition of appointing members of both parties to House committee leadership positions, something Cook has pledged not to do.
Burrows’ reliance on Democrats to win the speaker seat has been rebuked by state and national Republicans.
“It’s unbelievable what is happening in Texas right now. There is a group of so-called Republicans cutting a deal with liberal Democrats to elect a speaker instead of uniting behind the Republican nominee, David Cook,” Donald Trump Jr. posted to social media Monday. “Unbelievable! Republicans have a mandate!”
