Lt. Governor Patrick Backs Rep. Cook for Texas House Speaker

Dan Patrick

In a week, the Texas House will vote for its next speaker, and the race is divisive to say the least. In a lengthy social media post, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (R) backed state Rep. David Cook (R) for speaker, suggesting there is no other candidate that's right for the job.

Challenging Rep. Cook is Texas Rep. Dustin Burrows (R), a candidate who claims to have the necessary votes to take the speakership from Rep. Cook. However, Texas leadership has dismissed the claims, arguing that Rep. Burrows is trying to cut backroom deals with Democrats instead of standing firm on conservative principles.

On social media, the lieutenant governor is the latest Texas Republican to comment on the polarizing race, raising the question of which leader would be better for Texans.

"Will that Speaker be selected by a few Republicans and a majority of Democrats, or will that Speaker be selected by the majority of Republicans and a few Democrats?" the lieutenant governor questioned.

To be elected speaker, the candidate must have a simple majority of 76 votes out of the 150 Texas House members.

According to Lt. Governor Patrick, Rep. Cook has 57 Republicans who have agreed to support him, and Rep. Burrows has 31 Republicans who have pledged to support him.

"Unfortunately, for most of the last 15 years, there have been a dozen or so House Republicans who undermine the Republican Party by getting all or most of the Democrats to join them to pick a Republican who the Democrats can control," he wrote on X.

For Texas' GOP leadership, Rep. Burrows could win the speakership through this way. To counter this maneuver, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is currently leading a statewide tour in support of Rep. Cook.

The lieutenant governor argued that Rep. Burrows and his supporters want the speakership because they want power and nothing else.

"They want important Chairmanships for themselves and are willing to cast aside the expectations of the Texas Republicans who voted for them," he wrote on social media. "

Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina is a managing editor and legislative correspondent with a decade of experience covering the evolving political landscape of the American South and Southwest.