Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan announced he will not seek a third term as leader of the Legislature’s lower chamber Friday, just one day before Republicans are scheduled to gather at the Capitol to elect their candidate for speaker.
Phelan, a Republican from Beaumont, has faced an interparty battle for the gavel against Rep. David Cook of Mansfield, who entered the race for Speaker in September. The far-right contingent of Texas’ Republican party has rallied around Cook after criticizing Phelan for being too moderate and supporting the bipartisan tradition of naming members of both parties to House Committee leadership positions. Cook has vowed to appoint only Republicans to the roles, if elected.
Phelan did not endorse a candidate for his successor, but one of his allies, Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock, is now scrambling for support against Cook. Burrows filed the paperwork to run for Speaker Thursday, the Dallas Morning News reports.
“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.
State Representative David Cook Announces Support of 48 Republican Colleagues in Bid for Texas House Speakership pic.twitter.com/Kscibkg0Vr
— David Cook (@DavidCookTexas) September 27, 2024
Although the vote for House Speaker does not take place until the House convenes for the legislative session in January, Republicans are guaranteed to hold the position because of their majority in the chamber. Saturday’s vote for the Republican nominee will be an opportunity for individual legislators to weigh in on who they would like to see preside over the House before their support is pledged to the caucus winner in January’s official vote.
Cook and Burrows are both vying for 60% or more of the 88 votes cast Saturday; Cook has announced support from 48 House Republicans, which puts him within a hair’s breadth of the caucus’ endorsement. Burrows is expected to pick up a number of Phelan loyalists in his last-minute bid for the seat, and could have a road to the House Speaker seat if he, like Phelan, makes inroads with the chamber’s Democratic caucus.
“As we continue our campaign for Speaker, some in our [Republican caucus] would STILL rather cut a deal with Democrats than unify with Republicans first,” Cook posted to X several weeks before Phelan ended his reelection campaign. “That approach has divided us for far too long. It’s time for us to UNITE and prioritize our caucus and the voters who put us here.”
