On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Texas Republican Party Chairman Abraham George began a statewide tour in Fort Worth to help state Rep. David Cook of Mansfield win the speaker’s gavel next week.
In front of a standing-room-only crowd at the Tarrant County Republican Party headquarters, Paxton and George spoke after Cook won the endorsement of the House Republican caucus by defeating U.S. Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock last month. He said he should become chairman.
Paxton told reporters that grassroots Republicans want conservatives to lead the House and don’t want what he calls moderate Republicans to join Democrats in choosing speaker.
“When the Speaker of the House is controlled by a bloc of Democratic voters, as has been the case since Joe Strauss, it prevents Republicans who were elected to get certain things done to get their priorities done,” he said. said. “And that’s been happening for the past 16 years, but I think this is the first time we’ve had a chance to really expose it.”
A number of House Republicans from around North Texas joined Paxton and George in supporting Cook. He also said only Republicans should serve as committee chairs, ending the old tradition of including some Democrats as committee chairs. The Texas Republican Party supports the move.
Paxton hopes veteran Republican state Reps. Charlie Geren and Giovanni Capriglione, both from Tarrant County, and freshman Republican John McQueen will change their minds and support Cook over Burroughs. He said he is doing so.
Paxton told the crowd, “Go and talk to Congressman Giovanni. Go and talk to Congressman Geren and especially John McQueen, who just got elected. These people need to hear you. ” he said.
Capriglione told CBS News Texas he has no plans to change his mind and remains committed to Burrows.
“His proven leadership and unwavering commitment to our shared conservative values will ensure that the priorities of his constituents are implemented,” Capriglione said in a statement.
Congressman-elect McQueen declined to comment, and CBS News Texas could not get a response from Congressman Geren.
Rep. Carl Tepper, a friend and supporter of Burroughs, told CBS News Texas last month that Burroughs is more conservative than Cook.
“I reject the premise that this is an ultra-conservative insurrectionist trying to take control of the Texas House of Representatives,” Tepper said. “In fact, the opposite is true. I’m trying to bring in a conservative person to lead the House.”
Paxton and George warned against Republicans who support Burroughs if he becomes speaker.
“If they don’t listen, we’re going to come back and make them primary next session and beat them,” Paxton said.
George agreed.
“If that’s what it takes to get our House in order, that may be what we end up having to do,” George said.
The crowd applauded.
During an interview last month, Tepper said he was unfazed by the threat.
“I just don’t follow the orders of the Texas Republican Party,” he said. “I am taking direction from the Republicans in the Lubbock County Republican primary, and I am taking direction from the voters here.”
Democratic state Rep. Ana Maria Rodriguez Ramos is also running for Texas speaker. It takes 76 votes to win the gavel. The Texas House will vote in full on January 14, the first day of the new Congress.
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