The Republican establishment wing of the Texas House won out as state Rep. Dustin Burrows grabbed the chamber’s speakership in a highly contested vote.
Burrows beat out the MAGA-favored state Rep. David Cook by a margin of 85-55 with the help of 49 Democrats and 36 Republicans.
The Democratic support for Burrows, who has been much more willing to work across the aisle than Cook, has earned him instant criticism from state lawmakers to his right.
“Today, the RINO (anti-MAGA) Establishment laughed in the faces of our Republican grassroots. They chose Democrat chairs and Lobbyist buddies over their voters,” state Rep. Shelley Luther, a freshman Republican, wrote on social media. “I look forward to seeing if they’re still laughing after the next round of primaries. The fight starts today.”
Burrows insisted he will continue to work with every member of the state House in his acceptance speech.
“This is the people’s House,” Burrows said. “I commit to you today, every member will have a voice. Every district will have a seat at the table.”
The MAGA wing of the Texas House had several primary victories over Burrows’s supporters during last year’s elections and viewed this speaker election as their best shot to take over the gavel. Cook agreed to lead them, and he vowed to enact at least one move to lessen Democratic power: barring them from chairing committees.
Top Republicans in Texas’s government, including Attorney General Ken Paxton and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, were cautious in their support of Burrows after his win. Paxton openly supported Cook, traveling the state and pressuring lawmakers to vote for him.
“It is now important that Speaker Burrows and his leadership team pass every conservative legislative priority in a timely manner to make our state more secure and more prosperous,” he said. “That is what Texas Republicans expect.”
Patrick said he expected Burrows to help Republicans pass bills on several issues including school vouchers, banning cities and counties from hiring lobbyists to advocate for them in Austin, bail reform, election integrity bills, and banning people from countries at odds with the United States from owning land in Texas, per the Texas Tribune.
“Each of these bills will be passed again by the Texas Senate,” Patrick said in a statement. “The voters will hold our new speaker accountable to keep his promise of being the most conservative speaker in Texas history.”
The Republican Party of Texas had been harshly fractured over the vote. State party Chairman Abraham George was accused of bribery by a Republican state lawmaker after he pledged to send opposition mailers to the districts of whoever opposed Cook.
George has continued his assault on establishment Republicans, riling up a crowd of Cook supporters outside the state Capitol. He said the party would soon vote on a censure resolution that, if passed, would bar those lawmakers from appearing on a primary ballot for two years.
“This is not a time for us to pander to the RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) and moderates,” George said to the crowd.
Other Republican state lawmakers pointed out the strange support from Democrats for Burrows.
“You have a significant minority of Republicans and a significant majority, almost unanimity, out of the Democrats supporting Dustin Burrows for speaker,” state Rep. Mitch Little, who supported Cook, said. “I think most Republican voters will have a hard time seeing how that’s sustainable.”
Nevertheless, Cook has congratulated Burrows and will work with him. “We ran a good, honest race and I’m very proud of the support we were able to garner,” he said.
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Burrows issued a statement on social media, acknowledging his new position “is one of immense responsibility and honor.”
“As Speaker, I stand ready to support every member as we collectively navigate the most pressing issues facing Texans today—issues ranging from improving education to providing additional property tax relief, bolstering water resources, fighting for safer communities, and everything in between,” he said. “While the majority will guide our course, the House’s strength lies in its diversity, and my leadership will be dedicated to ensuring every voice is heard and every district represented this session.”
