The chairman of the Republican Party of Texas says state House members need to support their caucus in selecting a successor to retiring Speaker Joe Straus.
“The party’s base has very clearly said it is the will of the voters that representatives honor the selection of the caucus,” RPT Chairman James Dickey told The Texas Monitor.
“It would be a significant act of defiance and hubris for an elected representative to take a position opposed to the voters.”
With Straus’ departure from the House next year, a wide-open speaker contest is in the making. Two candidates — Rep. Phil King of Weatherford and John Zerwas of Richmond — have announced for the job. More, perhaps many more, are expected to enter the race.
Straus, R-San Antonio, relied on a solid bloc of minority Democrats to win and retain his position as head of the House. Dickey says Republicans need to be united now.
“When House candidates file for office, we will ask them whether they will commit or not commit to supporting the [speaker] choice of caucus,” Dickey revealed. The “pledge” is posted on TexasGOP.org.
A five-member working group of the caucus this month proposed a non-binding selection process. The House Caucus is scheduled to discuss the recommendation on Dec. 2.
“Republican representatives on the floor need to vote the results of the caucus,” Dickey said.
“This is not about a personality; it’s about the process,” he added. “The majority party determines the speaker as a group.”
Dickey said he is “glad it appears to be a healthy race. We believe in healthy competition.”
Meantime, the State Republican Executive Committee will meet — also on Dec. 2 — to consider primary election ballot measures. Among the items could be a ballot measure on the process for selecting the speaker of the House.
“It’s a significant enough issue that the SREC might decide to put it on the ballot,” Dickey said. The final ballot issues, and any applicable wording, would be decided by the SREC at the Dec. 2 meeting.
Neither King nor Zerwas responded to The Texas Monitor’s request for comment on the speaker selection discussions.
You know Texas voters want to make sure that we don’t put future lifetime appointees in spots that they don’t actually want to leave ever. We want people to go there do their job and then retire. We’re tired of lifetime politicians.
I am more worried about the future. Our economy is far too dependent on oil and once oil is out, Texas is screwed. Meanwhile, our politicians do little more than kowtow to Bible thumpers over irrelevant issues. We need forward thinking leaders regardless of party affiliation
We have so much oil in Texas it’s unbelievable. The next 5000 yrs r good
You don’t get it. At some point, countries and areas that still use oil are going to be looked at as being 3rd world
Lol. You goofy tree huggers are clueless.
What bothers me the most is that while one party has control now they are perfectly happy with putting in rules that will shut them out of the power discussion when the pendulum swings the other way. For goodness sakes, look at the rules you are proposing and ask “how would I like them if I were not the majority?”
So tired of elected officials putting their immediate power gains ahead of the betterment of all.
When and how did the base vote on this. It seems to me that this an attempt to empower Empower Texans and other Neoconservatives.
JESUS, please let your will be done. Let each one vote with your love in their heart.
Unacceptable! That is the problem with Texas! We must remove all these terrorist GOP lawmakers and turn Texas blue!
Don’t be caught in a bathroom with them.
drain this swamp now
Not me. Giving up on many of the nuts who took over the party.
Corrupt to the bone
We are going to vote for the best people that will work to help Texas not there self
Yes more extremism is what we need. As if we’re not nationally and internationally embarrassed enough….
Unacceptable
Meh, no
WTF ?