The Texas Legislature is scheduled to reconvene in mid-January. But with less than a month to go, the state’s Republican Party has yet to decide who to nominate as the next speaker of the Texas House, reflecting deeper divisions within the party.
A majority of House Republicans support Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield) in a strong role, but a small but still significant portion supports Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock). are.
At first glance, Rep. Cook and Rep. Burrows appear to be very similar. Both men’s voting records align with conservative principles, supporting Texas’ restrictive abortion laws, the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors, and controversial immigration legislation. I cast my vote.
But the division over who to support reflects a decade-long struggle among the state’s Republican lawmakers.
“It was a battle between the traditional Republican Party, what we call the business Republican Party, and the current MAGA Republican Party,” said Shelly, a former Texas congressman and current associate dean of the Lyndon B. Johnson Graduate School at the University of Texas at Austin.・Mr. Greenberg says. In charge of public relations.
What’s happening in Texas right now is unbelievable. A group of so-called Republicans is making a deal with liberal Democrats to elect a Speaker rather than unite behind Republican candidate @DavidCookTexas. can’t believe it! The Republican Party has a mission!
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 9, 2024
Or, as James Henson of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin puts it, it’s a battle of “conservatives versus very conservative people.”
MAGA Republicans mentioned by Greenberg support Cook. Even Donald Trump Jr. recently expressed support for Cook on social media.
Greenberg said one key difference is that Cook wants to break with the longstanding tradition of Democrats chairing influential committees in the chamber.
“They believe we should break away from this tradition of minority parties, that Democrats have the ability to play some leadership role here,” Greenberg said. “They believe that Democrats should no longer be appointed as chairmen of any committees.”
Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, a Cook supporter, spoke about the old practice at a Texas Tribune event earlier this year, saying, “No one does it this way anymore.”
“I don’t think that’s the case anymore,” Oliverson said. “I can go around this country and talk to Democrats from New York to California, Alaska to Florida. I think it’s strange that there is.”
But both Republican candidates for House speaker appear to be on the same page on this issue.
There are claims, although unsubstantiated, that Mr. Burrows told Democrats seeking support that he would not appoint anyone to the chair if he were elected.
But the simple fact that he may be communicating or collaborating with Democrats has upset some of Burroughs’ Republican colleagues. In response to the X claims, Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Waxahachie) criticized Burrows’ discussions with Democrats as a “betrayal” of Texas voters.
Meanwhile, Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano) posted that Burroughs has proven to be a solid conservative leader.
Lawmakers on social media also said Burroughs promised Democrats he would ensure the school aid bill does not pass.
That’s one of the most obvious differences between Cook and Burrows, and it’s a big one. Gov. Greg Abbott has been trying to pass a voucher-like plan in Texas for several years. That effort failed in 2023, but Mr. Abbott succeeded in endorsing Republicans who had voted against him in the primary.
Let me be clear:
I worked this past year to elect conservative candidates who would pass conservative legislation, including school choice.
Achieving that goal requires a Texas House speaker chosen by a majority of Republicans according to Republican caucus rules.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) December 11, 2024
Speaking on Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth after the March primary, Abbott said he feels “certain school choice will be passed in the next Congress.”
Although Mr. Abbott has not endorsed either speaker candidate, he recently posted on It will point.
And while each member of the Texas House is free to vote as they wish, Republicans voting against the majority would be violating Republican caucus rules that require members to vote en masse.
Brandon Rottinghaus, a political scientist at the University of Houston, said Burroughs’ supporters could face serious consequences.
Rottinghaus told Texas Newsroom, “Republican leadership has accused members of Congress who broke a quorum of losing their committee assignments in the 89th session and did not support Cook in 2026.” “It could ensure that he is disqualified from running for office.”
But some think that’s an empty threat. Henson, of the University of Texas at Austin, thinks that’s the whole story.
“I’m skeptical of the chest-thumping and thumping from the Texas Republican Party,” Henson said. “Please keep in mind that the official party organization in Texas is not actually as comprehensive as its title suggests.”
We’ll see if the Republicans currently supporting Burroughs are willing to call out their party’s bluff when the Texas Legislature reconvenes on January 14th. A formal vote for speaker of the Texas House is expected to take place the same day.
Copyright 2024 KUT 90.5
