A number of Texas House Republicans won’t rule out supporting the Democrat Party’s choice for Speaker next January according to Texas GOP officials.
Two dozen incumbent lawmakers have thus far failed to sign the party’s form or speak on the record of the matter according to a list published on the party’s website—a number that could jeopardize the election of a Republican Speaker of the Texas House when the legislature reconvenes in January.
Those members are:
- Gary VanDeaver (Clarksville)
- Jay Dean (Longview)
- Chris Paddie (Marshall)
- John Wray (Waxahachie)
- Travis Clardy (Nacogdoches)
- Kyle Kacal (Bryan)
- John Cyrier (Lockhart)
- Ernest Bailes (Shepherd)
- Dade Phelan (Beaumont)
- Greg Bonnen (Friendswood)
- Dennis Bonnen (Angleton)
- John Zerwas (Richmond)
- John Kuempel (Seguin)
- Trent Ashby (Lufkin)
- Stan Lambert (Abilene)
- Drew Darby (San Angelo)
- Brooks Landgraf (Odessa)
- Ken King (Canadian)
- Charlie Geren (Fort Worth)
- Linda Koop (Dallas)
- Rodney Anderson (Grand Prairie)
- Morgan Meyer (Dallas)
- Lyle Larson (San Antonio)
- Sarah Davis (West University Place)
Assuming the chamber remains split on relatively the same party basis after the November elections, 21 Republicans could follow the same procedure that saw House Speaker Joe Straus elected by breaking ranks from their fellow Republicans and uniting with the Democrats to elect another coalition-government into power.
What about the non-incumbents?
Of the districts currently held by Republicans, only House District 121 nominee Steve Allison, who was elected to succeed current Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, has refused to commit to voting for the caucus nominee. That puts Allison on an island compared to other members of what will presumptively be his fellow freshmen in the Texas Legislature next January.
Indeed, Republican nominees of all stripes including HD 13’s Ben Leman, HD 23’s Mayes Middleton, HD 45’s Ken Strange, HD 52’s Cynthia Flores, HD 54’s Brad Buckley, HD 62’s Reggie Smith, HD 89’s Candy Noble, HD 106’s Jared Patterson, HD 113’s Jonathan Boos, HD 114’s Lisa Luby Ryan, and even HD 126’s Sam Harless have all signed the party’s Speaker Selection Commitment Form.
They should be commended for doing so.
Grassroots Republicans must demand that elected Republican members of the Texas House adhere to the party platform on the issue of Speaker selection and prevent a minority party from deciding the leadership of the Texas House.
