Skip to main content
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.

Republish
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

Sign up for the We the Texans newsletter to receive twice-monthly updates on our year-long initiative dedicated to boosting civic engagement and chronicling how democracy is experienced in Texas.

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.”

Logo for The Brief newsletter.
The most important Texas news,
sent weekday mornings.

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.

  • How do I register to vote if I haven’t?

    You can request a postage-paid application through the mail or find one at county voter registrars’ offices and some post offices, government offices, or high schools. You can also print out the online application and mail it to the voter registrar in your county.
    Applications must be postmarked by the Oct. 7 deadline. Download your application here.
    Additionally, you can register to vote through the Texas Department of Public Safety while renewing your driver’s license. You may be able to register to vote online if you’re also allowed to renew your license online. This is the only form of online registration in the state.
    After you register to vote, you will receive a voter registration certificate within 30 days. It’ll contain your voter information, including the Voter Unique Identifier number needed to update your voter registration online. If the certificate has incorrect information, you’ll need to note corrections and send it to your local voter registrar as soon as possible.
    The voter registration certificate can also be used as a secondary form of ID when you vote if you don’t have one of the seven state-approved photo IDs

  • 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 has hotlines available in other languages. Disability Rights Texas also assists voters with disabilities.

  • Read more
Supported by 

Time is running out to get your TribFest tickets!

Be there Sept. 5–7 for 100-plus unforgettable conversations featuring more than 300 speakers, including Stacey Abrams, Colin Allred, Liz Cheney, Richard Linklater, Nancy Pelosi, Rick Perry, Gretchen Whitmer and Glenn Youngkin.

Hurry - buy your tickets today!

Wait! We need your help.

You are one of our most dedicated readers, and we need your support during our Fall Member Drive. Will you take your dedication to the next level? Make a donation to The Texas Tribune to support the in-depth, independent journalism you trust.

I WANT TO HELP!

Information about the authors

James Barragán’s staff photo

Learn about The Texas Tribune’s policies, including our partnership with The Trust Project to increase transparency in news.

Explore related story topics

Politics State government Dade Phelan David Cook Texas Legislature