The upcoming Texas House speaker election highlights a growing rift within the Republican party. While Reps. Cook and Burrows share conservative views, their campaigns reflect a battle between traditional and MAGA Republicans. The race has become a battle of 'conservative versus the very conservative' with Donald Trump Jr. even voicing his support for Cook.
The Texas Legislature will be back in session in mid January. Yet, with less than a month until kickoff, the state’s Republicans are still undecided on who they want to be the next Texas House speaker, reflecting deeper divisions in the party. At first glance, Reps. Cook and Burrows appear very similar.
Each of their voting records align with conservative principles: Both voted for Texas’ “It has been this battle between what you would call the traditional Republicans — the business Republicans — and what is now the MAGA Republicans,” said Sherri Greenberg, a former Texas House member and current assistant dean of UT Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. It’s unbelievable what is happening in Texas right now. There is a group of so-called Republicans cutting a deal with liberal Democrats to elect a speaker instead of uniting behind the Republican nominee,Or, as James Henson of UT Austin’s Texas Politics Project calls it, a fight of “conservative versus the very conservative.” The MAGA Republicans Greenberg mentioned are backing Cook. Even Donald Trump Jr. recently voiced his support for Cook on social media. Greenberg said one key difference is that Cook wants to break with the longstanding practice of having Democrats chair influential committees in the chamber. “They believe that there should be a break from this tradition of the minority party, and here that being the Democrats, having any ability to have any role in leadership,” Greenberg said. “They believe that the Democrats should no longer be appointed chairs of any of the committees.” Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, a Cook supporter, talked about the old practice at a Texas Tribune event earlier this year saying that, “Nobody does it this way anymore”. “I just don't think that really applies anymore,” Oliverson said. “You can go around this country and you can talk to Democrats from New York to California, from Alaska to Florida”,
Texas Legislature Republican Party House Speaker MAGA Republicans Conservative Politics
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
David Cook voted as Texas House Republican Nominee for Speaker of the HouseDavid Cook of Mansfield is now the Texas GOP's nominee for Speaker of the House, but Representative Dustin Burrows of Lubbock says he has enough votes to win th
Read more »
David Cook voted as Texas House Republican Nominee for Speaker of the HouseDavid Cook of Mansfield is now the Texas GOP's nominee for Speaker of the House, but Representative Dustin Burrows of Lubbock says he has enough votes to win th
Read more »
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan steps down amid Republican infightingDade Phelan's exit opens up a fight for who will lead the chamber as lawmakers plan to take up school vouchers, border security and other Republican priorities.
Read more »
Texas Republican infighting forces House speaker to drop bid for third termPolitical News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government
Read more »
A North Texas Republican Could Earn the House Speaker Gavel This WeekendMansfield's David Cook won’t have the opponent he expected in Saturday’s House Speaker election.
Read more »
David Cook wants to be the next Texas House Speaker. Who is he?State Rep. David Cook, a Republican from Mansfield, is hoping to be next Texas House Speaker.
Read more »