Two Texas House Republicans insisted on Monday they had the support needed to be elected as the chamber’s new speaker as intense infighting within the state party continues.
On Friday, House Speaker Dade Phelan, who has been criticized by his fellow Republicans for appointing some Democrats as committee chairs, announced he was dropping out of the race. Instead, Representative Dustin Burrows of Lubbock, a Phelan ally, launched a last-minute bid, challenging fellow Republican Representative David Cook of Mansfield, who has indicated he will block Democrat committee chairs.
The Texas House GOP Caucus voted to endorse Cook on Saturday in a 48-14 vote, but only after some of Burrows’s backers had left the meeting. By convention, House Republicans are expected to vote for whoever their caucus endorses during the floor vote.
However, on Saturday evening, Burrows released a list of 76 representatives, 38 Republicans and 38 Democrats, who he said had pledged to vote for him. As a simple majority of the 150-strong assembly is needed to win the vote, this would be just enough for victory, but several of those included on Burrows’s list later said they wouldn’t be voting for him.
Newsweek reached out to Burrows and Cook via email and online inquiry form, respectively, for comment on Tuesday outside of regular office hours.
Over the past year, the Texas GOP has been engulfed in a civil war between more moderate and hard-line factions. In September 2023, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton , a conservative favorite, was acquitted after an impeachment trial overseen by Speaker Phelan.
Rep. David Cook (L) and Rep. Dustin Burrows, both Republicans, are currently vying to be the next Texas House speaker. They both insist they have enough support to be elected.
Brandon Bell/Rep. David Cook/GETTY
Paxton has facedvarious allegations, including corruption, misusing official information, and abusing his authority, but he denied any wrongdoing. In May 2024, Phelan went on to narrowly survive a primary runoff against a Trump-endorsed rival.
After Cook won Saturday’s vote for the 88-strong GOP caucus, Burrows held a press conference at which he claimed to have the 76 House supporters needed for victory.
He commented, “The speaker’s race is over. I have secured enough to be speaker of the House for the next session.”
Cook then published a list of 56 House Republicans who he said had agreed to back him, including six who also featured on Burrows’s list, according to The Texas Tribune.
Republican lawmakers Don McLaughlin and Paul Dyson, who appeared on both lists, both said they would support Cook.
In a statement, McLaughlin said: “I stand firm with my conservative colleagues — my vote for speaker is with David Cook. Any claim that I support Dustin Burrows is pure deception.”
Dyson said: “During the campaign, I pledged to support the caucus nominee, and I applaud David and the other speaker candidates for spending countless hours sharing their vision for a united Republican House caucus. I look forward to working with you, David, to deliver conservative results for Texas.”
The House Democrats haven’t officially endorsed Burrows but did release a statement telling its members not to vote for Cook.
However, in a post on X, formerly Twitter, Democratic state Representative Ana-Maria Ramos indicated she wouldn’t support Burrows, whom she accused of backing an “anti-worker, billionaire-backed” bill that undermined workers rights.
She added, “Working Texans deserve a leader in the House who will stand up for them, and not do the bidding of corporate donors.”