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Republicans in the Texas House could feud for weeks over whom to choose as the next speaker. But two Longview-area Republican lawmakers say they性视界传媒檙e supporting the more conservative candidate for the post, though some of their constituents believe otherwise.

District 7 Rep. Jay Dean, R-Longview, and District 5 Rep. Cole Hefner, R-Mount Pleasant, are among a contingent of GOP lawmakers who性视界传媒檝e drawn the ire of some conservatives and the state性视界传媒檚 Republican leader for supporting Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock to be the next House leader rather than Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield.

Also joining Dean and Hefner are District 8 Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, and District 1 Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston.

The race to replace outgoing Speaker Dade Phelan, because of mounting pressure in his own party, has been a bitter contest and fomented intraparty fighting. Cook is the clear favorite of the state GOP Donald Trump Jr. and of the House Republican Caucus. However, Dean and Hefner said the vote to endorse Cook for the speakership was illegitimate and a symptom of a 性视界传媒渂roken性视界传媒� caucus process.

The speaker性视界传媒檚 position is vital to the House性视界传媒檚 operations and wields significant power to determine what bills do 性视界传媒� and don性视界传媒檛 性视界传媒� become law. Some East Texas conservatives say the next speaker shouldn性视界传媒檛 appoint Democrats to chair House committees, a practice Phelan was criticized for. But the picture is bigger: They say they want a speaker who性视界传媒檒l champion conservative policies in 2025.

性视界传媒淭he eight legislative priorities that the Republican Party of Texas put out are not hard, and they性视界传媒檙e not unreasonable,性视界传媒� said Scott Stebbins, former chair of the Republican Party of Marion County. 性视界传媒淎nd yet it seems like, every year, our legislators just ignore us. So, it性视界传媒檚 time to call 性视界传媒榚m out.性视界传媒�

Dean and Hefner, however, said they won性视界传媒檛 be swayed from voting for the candidate they believe will best serve their districts 性视界传媒� and they, too, want to usher in conservative policies.

性视界传媒淏urrows is one that fights for conservative policy, whether it be in front of the cameras or off the cameras,性视界传媒� Hefner said. 性视界传媒淚 respect Rep. Cook. I like him as a person. He性视界传媒檚 simply not as conservative. His track record is not as conservative.性视界传媒�

Weeks of controversyPhelan, R-Beaumont, announced Dec. 6 that he wouldn性视界传媒檛 seek to retain the speakership. Phelan fell out of political favor with the state性视界传媒檚 top Republicans because of his vote to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was acquitted in the Senate on charges of corruption that some said lacked evidence. Conservatives also criticized Phelan by saying he didn性视界传媒檛 do enough to pass Gov. Greg Abbott性视界传媒檚 school voucher plan, the Texas Tribune reported.

Cook mounted a challenge to Phelan性视界传媒檚 speakership before Phelan announced he would step down. After Phelan did, Burrows 性视界传媒� 性视界传媒� announced that he was vying for the seat.

Republicans, who hold the majority in the House with 88 of its 150 seats, conducted their caucus meeting Dec. 7 to vote to endorse a candidate to be the next speaker. , which Burrows previously helped write, state that all caucus members should support whomever the caucus endorses and vote for that representative when the full House convenes in January.

A candidate must win two-thirds of the votes cast to receive the endorsement and must win 76 of the 150 votes in the House to become speaker.

But the unity the party性视界传媒檚 bylaws call for hasn性视界传媒檛 been realized.

The caucus conducted three votes to endorse a speaker, but neither Burrows nor Cook attained the required two-thirds majority in the first two rounds.

At that point, Burrows性视界传媒� supporters requested a short recess to discuss what to do next, Dean said. The chairman of the caucus, Rep. Tom Oliverson, agreed to allow a 10-15 minute recess to take place in the meeting room. However, Cook性视界传媒檚 supporters objected, Dean said.

That性视界传媒檚 when members supporting Burrows left the room. The caucus conducted a third round of voting without them, and Cook won by a vote of 48-14. The caucus then hosted a news conference announcing him as the winner.

性视界传媒淭he far-right, the haters, the people that love this chaos claim the majority of the caucus supports David Cook, and that was not the case,性视界传媒� Dean said.

Shortly after Cook was declared the winner, Burrows claimed he had the 76 votes necessary to win the speakership when the House convenes Jan. 14, the Texas Tribune reported. He released a list with the names of 38 Republicans and 38 Democrats who would support him, giving him the necessary 76 votes.

However, some of the lawmakers on Burrows性视界传媒� list they were backing Cook or hadn性视界传媒檛 yet endorsed a candidate.

With weeks to go, both candidates are seeking to grow their support among House members. While some Republicans have criticized Burrows for openly courting House Democrats to gain their votes, Dean and Hefner said Cook, too, is working to win Democrats性视界传媒� support.

性视界传媒淚f people don性视界传媒檛 think that Burrows and Cook are both courting and talking to Democrats for support to get to 76, I don性视界传媒檛 know what else to tell them,性视界传媒� Dean said.

Who is most conservative?Though Burrows and Cook are Republicans, Cook has garnered the support of

Abbott, without mentioning Cook by name, for speaker, which is Cook.

More than 100 county Republican Party chairs also have signed a letter declaring their support for Cook, the right-leaning reported.

Though both Burrows and Cook have voted in favor of hallmark conservative legislation, the appointment of House Democrats to committee chair positions remains a large factor in the speaker性视界传媒檚 race.

Cook has vowed to keep Democrats from chairing House committees 性视界传媒� roles that have significant power over whether legislation advances out of committees or not, . Burrows, however, has said the decision should be left to House members when they enact the chamber性视界传媒檚 rules.

Burrows性视界传媒� supporters already are feeling the wrath of the state GOP. Party leaders could attempt to censure Republicans who back Burrows and use a party rule to keep them from running as Republicans during the 2026 primary, .

Dean and Hefner told the News-Journal they believe Burrows is the more conservative choice for speaker. Hefner cited Burrows性视界传媒� work to lower property taxes, pass constitutional weapons carrying and restrict abortion.

性视界传媒淚 think we性视界传媒檒l have more monumental, successful policy wins for conservatism with him as speaker,性视界传媒� Hefner said.

Dean said Burrows, a Lubbock native, understands rural ways of life, while Cook is from Dallas. Dean said he性视界传媒檚 concerned about how Dallas leaders want to take water from East Texas, something he fought while he was mayor of Longview (though he didn性视界传媒檛 say Cook has been involved in any such efforts).

Burrows has served in the House since 2015, and Cook has served since 2021. Dean said Burrows 性视界传媒渉as a much broader base of experience when it comes to understanding the workings of the processes of the House.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淚 have not always agreed with Dustin Burrows, quite frankly, but one thing he性视界传媒檚 always been with me is very straightforward and honest,性视界传媒� Dean said. 性视界传媒淎nd when we性视界传媒檝e disagreed, we性视界传媒檝e respectfully agreed to disagree.性视界传媒�

While Dean and Hefner said Burrows is more conservative than Cook, some political rankings seem to indicate otherwise.

In December 2023, Cook the 37th most conservative member of the House out of 84 members based on his voting record. Conversely, Burrows was ranked 73rd most conservative out of 84 members. The Tribune noted, however, that 性视界传媒渆very Republican is significantly more conservative than every Democrat.性视界传媒�

The same rankings rated Dean as the 36th most conservative 性视界传媒� one notch above Cook 性视界传媒� and Hefner as the 13th most conservative House member.

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Grassroots America, an East Texas-based conservative policy group, based on their voting records. The organization states that Burrows 性视界传媒渁lmost always opposes Republicans more than Democrats性视界传媒� when voting, while Cook 性视界传媒渙pposes some Republicans more than Democrats.性视界传媒� Burrows joins Democrats on 43.31% of contested, partisan votes, while Cook does so on 18.96% of those votes.

Like the Texas Tribune rankings, Grassroots America ranks Hefner as more conservative than Burrows, Cook and Dean, saying Hefner 性视界传媒渙pposes Democrats, not Republicans.性视界传媒� The site ranks Dean as more conservative than Burrows and about as conservative as Cook, as Dean 性视界传媒渙pposes some Republicans more than Democrats.性视界传媒�

Hefner said the past two legislative sessions have been the most conservative in Texas history 性视界传媒� proof that Democrats aren性视界传媒檛 in control despite concerns about Democratic chair positions.

性视界传媒淎nybody with half a brain knows that we had the most conservative sessions we性视界传媒檝e ever had, and they still call us liberal and all these things,性视界传媒� he said.

East Texans speak outStebbins, the former Marion County GOP chair, criticized Burrows性视界传媒� supporters for walking out of the caucus meeting and failing to follow its rules.

性视界传媒淭hey don性视界传媒檛 want to follow the rules,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淪o, they run to the Democrats to try to work with them, to get liberal policy passed.性视界传媒�

Stebbins also criticized Burrows性视界传媒� vote to impeach Paxton and his voting record based on Grassroots America性视界传媒檚 website.

性视界传媒淚 think it性视界传媒檚 very important for Republicans to understand that there is a faction of Republicans there that are in the House that don性视界传媒檛 actually believe in Republican policies, but they run as Republicans because that性视界传媒檚 what gets them elected in their district,性视界传媒� he said.

Stebbins also said the next speaker should end the practice of having Democrats serve in committee chair positions to prevent them from stalling key conservative legislation.

性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 very important that the speaker chooses Republicans to lead a Republican House,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淭he state of Texas has set a clear mandate as being overwhelmingly Republican.性视界传媒�

Lee Lester, the former chair of the Harrison County Republican Party, said he wants Cook to be the next speaker rather than Burrows 性视界传媒� but 性视界传媒渘either one of them are ideal for conservatives.性视界传媒� Nevertheless, he said House Republicans should follow the caucus rules and support Cook. When Burrows性视界传媒� supporters left the caucus meeting, they behaved in a 性视界传媒渃hildish性视界传媒� way, he said.

性视界传媒淩ules are rules,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淚f you don性视界传媒檛 like the rules, then vote to change the rules, but not when it性视界传媒檚 just convenient.性视界传媒�

Lester also said some Republicans want to keep Democratic chairs in power so Democrats can be blamed for stalling legislation that Republicans themselves don性视界传媒檛 want to pass, even though it might be a GOP priority.

性视界传媒淭he speaker will send it over to a Democratic chair so he can say, 性视界传媒榃ell, the Democrats blocked that. I didn性视界传媒檛,性视界传媒櫺允咏绱綕 Lester said. 性视界传媒淭hat性视界传媒檚 the game they play.性视界传媒�

Jeff Kroyer, Pct. 13 chair of the Republican Party of Harrison County, said the issue of Democratic chairs is only one facet of the speaker性视界传媒檚 race. However, he agreed that Republicans like Phelan have used Democratic chairs as an excuse to block GOP priority legislation they don性视界传媒檛 support.

性视界传媒淭he difference is whether they support conservative principles and the legislative priorities of the Republican Party,性视界传媒� Kroyer said.

While the Legislature has passed some good legislation, Kroyer said there性视界传媒檚 more work to be done to protect unborn children, protect public school children from pornographic material in libraries and advance school choice.

Stebbins, Lester and Kroyer all cited the results of the state GOP性视界传媒檚 2022 ballot propositions, where more than 80% of Republicans said the Legislature should stop giving Democrats committee chair positions.

Gregg County Republican Party Chair William McWhorter did not state whether he or the county party have chosen to support Burrows or Cook. In a statement to the News-Journal, he said party members will make a decision before the House votes in January.

性视界传媒淭his is an incredibly important race, one that will help shape conservative policy and the direction the House moves on these issues,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淲e have a mandate to response to the concerns and direction voters have given through our elections and our recent convention.性视界传媒�

During a meeting Thursday night, Smith County Republicans approved a resolution urging area representatives to support Cook.

Upshur County GOP Chairman Carl Byers and Upshur-based political action committee East Texans for Liberty Executive Director Stacy McMahan, both of whom are in Hefner性视界传媒檚 House district, did not respond to requests for comment.

性视界传媒楤roken性视界传媒� caucus processWhile Cook did win more votes than Burrows during the caucus meeting, Dean and Hefner said the caucus has 性视界传媒渄elegitimized性视界传媒� itself by failing to enforce all of its rules equally.

Some conservatives are upset that Burrows性视界传媒� supporters aren性视界传媒檛 following caucus rules by not voting for Cook, but other caucus members have violated caucus rules and gotten away with it, Dean said. Under caucus rules, Republicans aren性视界传媒檛 allowed to campaign against other caucus members, but some campaigned against Phelan during his reelection campaign for his House seat this year.

Hefner and Dean also noted that Oliverson, the caucus chairman, was challenging Phelan for speaker but refused to step down from his position, even though he was in charge of distributing campaign funds to members.

性视界传媒淪everal members within the caucus had announced that, if the caucus nominee didn性视界传媒檛 meet their certain criteria, they pledged to violate the caucus bylaws again,性视界传媒� Hefner said. 性视界传媒淭he caucus process was already delegitimized by many in the caucus leading up to the caucus.性视界传媒�

Dean and Hefner said they don性视界传媒檛 believe caucus bylaws require them to vote for the endorsed speaker candidate. The bylaws read that the endorsed speaker candidate 性视界传媒渟hall be the person whom the members of the caucus should vote in favor of.性视界传媒� However, the bylaws do not read that they must 性视界传媒� or 性视界传媒渟hall性视界传媒� 性视界传媒� vote in favor of that person, Dean and Hefner said.

Not backing downDespite pushback, Dean and Hefner said they性视界传媒檙e firmly in support of Burrows.

性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檝e got the usual haters from the extremely far right that, if I was supporting Donald J. Trump who was running for speaker the Texas House, they性视界传媒檇 hate on me anyway,性视界传媒� Dean said. 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 never going to be the candidate of choice for them, but I性视界传媒檓 not going to be intimidated or threatened with all that stuff, because my job is to represent the people of House District 7, and I always on every issue do my best to educate myself, to communicate with my constituents and make the best decisions.性视界传媒�

Hefner said that, while he doesn性视界传媒檛 have a problem with Cook, Cook is 性视界传媒渘ot the conservative reformer that some are setting him out to be.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淚 do believe [Burrows] has the votes to be speaker,性视界传媒� Hefner said. 性视界传媒淚 believe he will be speaker, and I性视界传媒檓 proud to support him. And you know, we性视界传媒檙e getting beat up a lot, and that性视界传媒檚 OK. I don性视界传媒檛 mind. I believe I性视界传媒檓 right. I性视界传媒檓 supporting the right person, and the session will prove that out.性视界传媒�

Dean said a fair amount of time remains until Jan. 14, when the Legislature convenes to elect its speaker. Another candidate could step forward 性视界传媒� or one of the two present candidates could step down. That性视界传媒檚 what Dean said he hopes to see.

性视界传媒淚f we want to preserve the institution of the House, someone needs to be a statesman and say ... 性视界传媒業 gave it my best shot. I can性视界传媒檛 get to the threshold I need to get to, so I性视界传媒檓 going to withdraw, and I性视界传媒檓 going to ask all my supporters to support A or B,性视界传媒櫺允咏绱綕 Dean said.