PLANO, Texas — When it comes to the race for Speaker of the Texas House, some lawmakers are now saying not so fast.
The battle for the leadership position is currently between State Representative David Cook, R-Mansfield and State Representative Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock.
Rep. Burrows recently announced he had the votes to become the state’s next Speaker, with that support coming from both Republicans and Democrats.
But state Representative Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, joined Inside Texas Politics to say the race is not a done deal, and if it is, it favors Rep. Cook.
“Mr. Burrows released a list of 76 supporters. And since that release, literally hours later, people, members started dropping off from this list,” Rep. Shaheen argued. “I think at one point he had 38 Republicans. I think he’s down 31. I know a handful of others that will be announcing their removal from his list as well.”
In the meantime, Shaheen says Cook’s support from Republican lawmakers has jumped from 48 to 57, with 76 votes needed to become Speaker.
Cook is also the endorsed candidate of the House GOP caucus and Shaheen has joined calls from other top Republicans that members should follow those results.
But Shaheen is so confident that momentum is clearly on Cook’s side that he doesn’t expect a big battle on the House floor on the first day of the legislative session.
“I think we’ll have this settled way before January 14 when we take our very first vote in the next legislative session,” he said.