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2024 Texas Elections

Another Republican is challenging Dade Phelan for Texas House speaker

The Texas House speaker race is becoming increasingly crowded. Phelan, who is under fire from his right, says he plans to seek the leadership position again.

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State Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, takes the oath of office with his hand on a bible on the first day of the 88th Texas legislative session on Jan 10, 2023.
State Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, takes the oath of office with his hand on a bible on the first day of the 88th legislature on Jan 10, 2023. Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune

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Mansfield Republican David Cook said Tuesday he intends to run for Texas House Speaker, becoming the third person to challenge the chamber’s current leader, Beaumont Republican Dade Phelan.

Cook, who has served two terms in the House since 2021, made his announcement in an email to Republican incumbents and nominees seeking election to the chamber next year. The news was first reported by The Texan, a state politics news website.

In his email, Cook committed to naming only Republicans as leaders of House committees, a crucial point to hard right GOP leaders who feel Phelan has ceded too much power to Democrats by continuing the chamber’s long-standing tradition of naming members of both parties to lead the legislative panels.

But Cook said Democrats will “have the opportunity work their bills and see them considered fairly, as preserving the rights of the minority party remains part of facilitating the orderly transactions of business in the Texas House.”

State Reps. Tom Oliverson of Cyprus and Shelby Slawson of Stephenville have also thrown their hats in the ring.

Phelan has come under fire from grassroots social conservatives for being insufficiently conservative and working too closely with Democrats. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has been a major Phelan critic and has helped fuel criticisms that Phelan works with Democrats to hold up conservative legislation, even as the House has passed landmark legislation loosening gun restrictions and tightening abortion laws under his leadership.

Cook said that a lack of communication between House leadership and members of the GOP caucus has stifled progress and caused frustration. He pledged to be “actively engaged and present” in the chamber’s daily workings.

“Leadership means not only setting the direction, but also being in the arena alongside each of you,” Cook said. “My philosophy is rooted in returning the power to the Members and fostering an environment where we can work together effectively.”

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Cook said political infighting, breakdowns in communication and a lack of transparency have left the GOP with a splintered caucus in the House. He said he wants to rebuild trust, maintain integrity and find unity within the caucus, which is expected to maintain a majority in the chamber in this November’s elections.

Without naming Phelan, Cook said “change at the top is needed to better align with the priorities of our Members and the people of Texas.”

Cook also hinted that he would reform legislative processes in the chamber’s rules that “slow our work.”

Notably, Phelan has taken heat from the right flank of his party for his support of Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment in the House, and for not taking a more active approach to pass school vouchers.

Cook voted in favor of Paxton’s impeachment though he later corrected his vote to say he would have voted “no” on three of the 20 articles related to misuse of public resources, disregard of official duty and making false statements on official records. He also voted against a measure that removed school vouchers from an education funding bill.

Voting FAQ: 2024 Elections

  • When is the next election? What dates do I need to know?

    Election Day for the general election is November 5, and early voting will run from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1. The deadline to register to vote and/or change your voter registration address is Oct. 7. Applications to vote by mail must be received by your county of residence – not postmarked – by Oct. 25.

  • What’s on the ballot for the general election?

    In addition to the president, eligible Texans have the opportunity to cast their ballots for many Texas officials running for office at the federal, state and local levels.
    This includes representatives in the U.S. and Texas houses and the following elected offices:
    -1 U.S Senator (Ted Cruz)
    - 1 of 3 Railroad Commissioners
    - 15 State Senators
    - 7 State Board of Education members
    - 3 members of the Texas Supreme Court
    - 3 members of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
    - 5 Chief Justices and various justices for Texas Courts of Appeals

    Lower-level judges and local county offices will also appear on the ballot:
    - Various district judges, including on criminal and family courts
    - County Courts at Law
    - Justices of the Peace
    - District Attorneys
    - County Attorneys
    - Sheriffs
    - Constables
    - Tax Assessor-Collectors

  • How do I make sure I’m registered to vote?

    You can check to see if you’re registered and verify your information through the Texas Secretary of State’s website. You’ll need one of the following three combinations to log in: Your Texas driver’s license number and date of birth. Your first and last names, date of birth and county you reside in. Your date of birth and Voter Unique Identifier, which appears on your voter registration certificate.

  • What if I missed the voter registration deadline?

    You must be registered to vote in a Texas county by Oct. 7 to vote in the Nov. 5 presidential election. You can still register for other elections.
    If you’re registered but didn’t update your address by the deadline, you may still be able to vote at your previous voting location or on a limited ballot. (Voters are typically assigned precincts based on where they live. In most major counties, voters can vote anywhere on Election Day, but some counties require you vote within your precinct. If that is the case, you may have to return to your previous precinct. See which counties allow countywide Election Day voting here. You can usually find your precinct listed on your voter registration certificate or on when checking your registration online.)
    If you moved from one county to another, you may be able to vote on a ballot limited to the elections you would qualify to vote in at both locations, such as statewide races. However, limited ballots are only available during early voting. Find your county election official here and contact them to ask about or request a limited ballot.

  • What can I do if I have questions about voting?

    You can contact your county elections official or call the Texas Secretary of State's helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683). A coalition of voting rights groups is also helping voters navigate election concerns through the 866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683) voter-protection helpline. The coalition also has hotlines available for voters who speaker other languages or have accessibility needs.
    For help in Spanish, call 888-VE-Y-VOTA or 888-839-8682.
    For help in Asian languages, call 888-API-VOTE or 888-274-8683.
    For help in Arabic, call 888-YALLA-US or 888-925-5287.
    For help in American Sign Language through a video, call 301-818-VOTE or 301-818-8683.
    For help from Disability Rights Texas, call 888-796-VOTE or 888-796-8683.

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Politics State government Dade Phelan David Cook Texas Legislature