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Democrat Coalition Propels Dustin Burrows to Speaker of the Texas House

More Democrats than Republicans voted for Burrows’ speakership.

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Just hours after the new legislative session kicked off in Austin, State Rep. Dustin Burrows was elected to serve as speaker of the House, a move that has already sparked controversy among Texas Republicans. Burrows (R-Lubbock) secured the gavel despite significant opposition from within his own party, ultimately relying on Democrat support to clinch the position.

This is despite the fact that Republicans control 88 of the chamber’s 150 seats.

The election required two rounds of voting. In the first round, Burrows received 71 votes, State Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield) garnered 56, and Democrat Ana-Maria Ramos of Houston received 23. 

The second round saw Burrows emerge victorious with 85 votes, while Cook secured 55. Nine members (all Democrats) were recorded as present but not voting. In total, 36 Republicans supported Burrows along with 49 Democrats.

Grassroots activists from across the state made their presence known early at the Capitol. Many donned bright red “Ban Democrat Chairs” t-shirts, signaling their opposition to any power-sharing arrangements with Democrats. These activists visited legislative offices ahead of the session’s start, emphasizing their demand for Republican unity in leadership.

Last month, Cook won the Republican nomination for speaker. However, Burrows and a minority faction of Republican members immediately sought to build a coalition with Democrats to secure his victory. 

This strategy drew ire from grassroots conservatives and Republican officials, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has been vocal about the importance of maintaining a Republican majority of support in choosing House leadership.

In the hours leading up to the vote, Cook faced public defections from freshman State Rep. Caroline Fairly and veteran State Rep. Cecil Bell. 

Each candidate’s nomination was marked by speeches from their supporters. Cook’s nominators included Rep. Trent Ashby (R–Lufkin), Rep. Ellen Troxclair (R–Lakeway), Rep. James Frank (R–Wichita Falls), and Rep. Richard Raymond (D–Laredo). 

Notably, Raymond’s speech targeted Burrows’ connections to disgraced former Speaker-turned-lobbyist Dennis Bonnen, a narrative that has loomed over the race. 

Burrows’ nominators included State Reps. Charlie Geren (R–Fort Worth),  Mihaela Plesa (D–Dallas), Toni Rose (D–Dallas), and Lacey Hull (R–Houston).

Ramos’ nominators included Christina Morales (D–Houston), John Bryant (D–Dallas), and Jolanda Jones (D–Houston). 

The election of Burrows sets the stage for a potentially contentious legislative session. Lt. Gov. Patrick has already expressed strong opposition to Burrows and warned against compromising the Republican majority’s priorities.

In a statement released Tuesday evening, Patrick commented on the Democrat-led installment of Burrows:

“Today, on the second ballot, Republican Dustin Burrows was elected Speaker of the Texas House with a majority of Democrats and a minority of Republican votes.

Despite having a clear majority of Republican votes, Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, was defeated. Speaker Burrows was handed the speakership by Democrats, as has happened behind closed doors session after session since 2009. This may be the first time in our nation’s history where the minority party openly elected the speaker of a legislative body instead of the majority party.

A number of Republican members commented on Burrows’ election social media posts. New State Rep. Shelley Luther (R–Sherman) wrote, “Today, the RINO (anti-MAGA) Establishment laughed in the faces of our Republican grassroots. They chose Democrat chairs and Lobbyist buddies over their voters. I look forward to seeing if they’re still laughing after the next round of primaries. The fight starts today.”

State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R–Arlington) stated, “As they say in sports, Let’s Get Ready To Rumble! Many Republican members just partnered with democrats to steal the speakership from Texas Republican voters! More to follow.”

The Republican Party of Texas, meanwhile, has stated it will seek to censure and potentially remove from the primary ballot any Republican lawmaker who did not support the Republican candidate for speaker.

The 36 Republicans who voted for Burrows are:

Brandon Waltens

Brandon serves as the Senior Editor for Texas Scorecard. After managing successful campaigns for top conservative legislators and serving as a Chief of Staff in the Texas Capitol, Brandon moved outside the dome in order to shine a spotlight on conservative victories and establishment corruption in Austin. @bwaltens

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