The Texas Swamp is still fighting for power. More than a week after Dade Phelan bowed out of the race for Texas House Speaker, his allies are not giving up on finding a Phelan fill-in. Initial Phelan replacement candidate Dustin Burrows claimed to have enough combined votes from Republicans and Democrats to win, but his support has since faltered, leading to a new crop of candidates floated by the same circle. Meanwhile, Rep. David Cook of Mansfield won the GOP caucus vote for speaker and is the choice of party and state leadership. "Governor Greg Abbott has now called on Republicans to unify behind the caucus choice (Cook)," along with Donald Trump Jr. and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick," says Luke Macias, Texas political analyst and host. "So there is a real hope that Republicans come together (behind Cook), but there is this still, small band of Republicans who seemingly are very dedicated to try to cut a deal with the Democrats."
The Republican Party of Texas is threatening to censure any members who do not vote for Cook, and new party rules mean a censured member cannot run in a primary for two years. It remains to be seen if this intra-party battle will come to a head when the final speaker vote takes place in January, but Macias believes the process has done voters a favor by exposing the Texas Swamp. "These deals used to be made in what we called smoke-filled rooms," he tells KTRH. "In this instance, you have forced this small group of Republicans out into the open."
"They had to declare themselves publicly before all of Texas, that yes indeed, they were planning on colluding with the Democrats to pick the next speaker."
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