A third challenger for the role of Texas speaker of the House has thrown his hat into the ring, hoping to overthrow the current speaker, Rep. Dade Phelan.
“Today, I am declaring my candidacy to serve as your next Speaker of the Texas House,” Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield) wrote in a statement on September 3. “As Speaker, I will be committed to being actively engaged and present in the daily workings of our Chamber.”
“… It’s time to ensure that leadership better reflects the will of the majority party. This includes a shift to a Republican committee chair model. However, Democratic members will still have the opportunity to work their bills and see them considered fairly, as preserving the rights of the minority party remains part of facilitating the orderly transaction of business in the Texas House,” Cook wrote.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Phelan is facing other challengers as well. Reps. Tom Oliverson (R-Cypress) and Shelby Slawson (R-Stephenville) have announced their bids to lead the Texas House.
For a candidate to win the Texas Republican Caucus endorsement, he or she must receive the support of at least three-fifths of the members of the caucus. As it stands today, there are 86 Republicans in the Texas House, so a candidate would need 52 votes for a nomination. Of course, that number could change pending the outcome of the November election.
To attain the speakership, a candidate must win at least 76 votes, representing a simple majority of the 150 House votes, reported The Texan.
Cook currently serves on the Calendars, Juvenile Justice & Family Issues, and Criminal Justice committees, reported The Texan.
In May, Cook, along with half the prospective caucus, signed a statement committing to halting the appointment of Democrats as committee chairs and selecting a speaker within the GOP caucus, reported The Texan.
Leaders in Tarrant County have stressed the need for new leadership in the Texas House.
“As Republicans, we want to believe that our elected officials in Austin are fighting to pass the priorities of the Republican Party. Sadly, for the last 14 years, we have had Speakers who partnered with the Democratic caucus and then set about to weaken or even kill our party’s priorities,” Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French told DX.
“We just can’t afford that anymore. We have to have a Republican Speaker who will be a champion for our platform. Dade Phelan is not that. Hopefully, our new Speaker will be the warrior we deserve,” French said.