LUBBOCK—In an unusual move for a sitting Texas House speaker, Dustin Burrows is hitting the campaign trail to help elect Republican lawmakers, launching a 26-stop tour across the state as early voting begins.
The roughly 2,000-mile effort, dubbed the Speaker Strike Force, kicked off Monday evening in Lubbock, where Burrows was joined by Republican lawmakers and candidates before departing on a two-week tour of competitive House districts.
In an interview with Texas Scorecard ahead of the kickoff, Burrows, wearing a shirt with the slogan “One Party, One Mission” embroidered on it, said the effort is designed to provide Republican candidates with more than just appearances at campaign rallies.
“A lot of people hear bus tour, they think rally. This is not necessarily a rally,” Burrows explained. (Find the video of the full interview below.)
Instead, he said the tour will mobilize volunteers from local Republican organizations, college Republican chapters, and other groups to knock on doors, work polling locations, and make phone calls.
“We’re going to put the labor in,” he said.
Burrows said Republican lawmakers without competitive races have also been encouraged to participate in the effort and assist colleagues facing tougher elections.
At the Lubbock kickoff, Burrows warned that Republicans could face a significant financial disadvantage in the closing weeks of the election.
“This is probably the first time ever that we’re going to be outspent,” he told supporters, pointing to political spending from outside Texas.
He also argued that the stakes extend beyond control of the Texas House.
“I think Western civilization hangs in the balance as far as Texas goes,” Burrows said.
The event featured appearances by several Republican lawmakers, including State Reps. Carl Tepper, Brooks Landgraf, Alan Schoolcraft, and Terry Wilson, along with State Sen. Charles Perry and statewide and congressional candidates.
The tour represents an unusually active campaign effort by a sitting House speaker, who presides over a 150-member chamber that includes both Republicans and Democrats.
Burrows was elected speaker with support from Democrats and a portion of the Republican caucus in 2025. Since then, however, he has increased support among Republican lawmakers who didn’t initially support him.
Asked whether campaigning against Democrat House members could jeopardize his support among Democrats who helped elect him speaker, Burrows dismissed the concern.
“At the end of the day, I’m doing what’s absolutely right by Texas,” he said. “I want to make sure we maintain the biggest majority we can in the Texas House.”
Burrows also warned against what he described as efforts to bring communist policies to Texas.
“The top of the Democrat ticket says they want to dismantle capitalism, dismantle the oil and gas industry,” he said.
“A communist form of government, you cannot do that. It has failed in every single country that’s tried it,” Burrows added.
At the kickoff, he repeated those concerns, arguing that the election would determine whether Texas follows the political direction of states such as New York and California.
Beyond the November election, Burrows outlined several priorities he intends to pursue if Republicans retain control of the House and he remains speaker.
Chief among them is property tax reform.
“We need to get as far into, if not eliminating, school M&O as we possibly can,” Burrows said, referring to the maintenance and operations portion of school property taxes.
He acknowledged frustration among homeowners who have seen previous rounds of property tax relief fail to produce lasting reductions in their bills.
“Yeah, this one has to be big,” he said.
Burrows pointed to the alignment between Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and himself on making property taxes a central focus of the next legislative session.
“I have some big ideas,” he said, adding that he intends to introduce them into the discussion after the election.
He also promised that Republicans would deliver significant action on the issue.
Burrows also expressed optimism that lawmakers could take action on closed primaries during the next legislative session.
The Republican Party of Texas has been pushing to close its primaries to voters who do not affiliate with the party, an issue that has also been the subject of litigation.
Asked whether the Legislature could act on the issue next session, Burrows expressed optimism.
“I think that there is certainly an appetite for it. I think there’s support for it,” he said. “It’s going to be one of the main things I think is going to be given a real earnest debate.”
“My guess is we’re going to get something done in session.”
Burrows also highlighted the work of the House Governmental Oversight Committee, particularly its investigation into rogue district attorneys accused of failing to prosecute criminals and the influence of outside organizations on prosecutorial policies.
He specifically referenced Travis County District Attorney José Garza and the Wren Collective, an organization that has faced scrutiny over its involvement with progressive prosecutors.
Burrows raised concerns about prosecutors signing nondisclosure agreements with the organization.
“There’s something fundamentally wrong with that,” he said. “We can’t even know who’s advising and what policies they’re trying to implement.”
He said lawmakers would continue investigating the issue and pursue reforms during the next session.
Asked what he would say to Republicans who initially opposed his speakership, Burrows pointed to the conservative legislation passed during his first session leading the chamber, including school choice and measures addressing foreign adversaries.
“My guess is a lot of them have been won over because of the results, not because of the person,” he said.
The Speaker Strike Force tour will continue through early voting ahead of the November 3 election.
