Estimated Time to Read: 4 minutes
The race for Texas Speaker of the House is heating up as seven candidates, including the current Speaker Dade Phelan, have officially entered the competition for the top leadership position in the Texas House of Representatives. The upcoming 89th legislative session promises to be contentious, with a mix of seasoned lawmakers and fresh challengers vying for the speakership. Here’s a closer look at the candidates, their backgrounds, and the dynamics shaping this race.
Current List of Announced Candidates
The current list of announced candidates includes:
Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont), Incumbent
First Elected: 2015
Tom Oliverson (R-Cypress)
First Elected: 2017
Shelby Slawson (R-Stephenville)
First Elected: 2021
David Cook (R-Mansfield)
First Elected: 2021
James Frank (R-Wichita Falls)
First Elected: 2013
John Smithee (R-Amarillo)
First Elected: 1985
Ana Maria Ramos (D-Richardson)
First Elected: 2019
The Politics Behind the Race
Notably, two of Phelan’s challengers, Tom Oliverson and James Frank, currently chair committees under his leadership. Oliverson chairs the House Insurance Committee, which oversees matters concerning insurance companies operating in Texas and state agencies like the Texas Department of Insurance, the Texas Health Benefits Purchasing Cooperative, and the Office of Public Insurance Counsel. Frank chairs the House Human Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over welfare and rehabilitation programs, as well as oversight of the Health and Human Services Commission, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners, and the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors.
John Smithee, a long-serving representative who has been in the Texas Legislature since 1985, has never been granted a chairmanship under the speakership of either Phelan or his predecessor, Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton), despite previously chairing both the House Insurance Committee and the House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee under former Speakers Joe Straus (R) and Tom Craddick (R).
All candidates for Speaker, except Ana-Maria Ramos, voted in favor of Phelan’s initial election as Speaker in 2021 and his re-election in the 88th legislative session. Ramos, on the other hand, chose to vote “Present, Not Voting” in the 88th session (2023) and was marked as absent during the vote in the 87th session (2021).
During the 88th session, the House initiated impeachment proceedings against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R). Smithee opposed the impeachment and delivered a passionate speech criticizing the process upon its conclusion in the House. Slawson and Smithee were the only two Speaker candidates who voted against impeaching Attorney General Paxton, who was later acquitted of all impeachment articles by the Texas Senate. Oliverson was not present for the vote.
The Process
Running for Speaker of the Texas House is largely done behind the scenes. The Speaker is elected by the members of the Texas House of Representatives, and the process can involve a great deal of political maneuvering and private negotiations.
Republicans have held a majority in the Texas House for over two decades. A relatively recent Republican Caucus rule requires Republican lawmakers to participate in a Caucus vote to select the Republican nominee for Speaker before the vote takes place on the House floor on the first day of the legislative session. This nominee must win at least two-thirds of the Caucus membership’s support in the first two rounds of voting; if that threshold is not met, it is lowered to three-fifths. While these rules aim to compel members to support the nominated candidate for Speaker, it’s important to note that there is no legal obligation for them to do so.
The Path Ahead
The coming months will involve intense lobbying, coalition-building, and behind-the-scenes negotiations as each candidate seeks to secure the votes needed to win the speakership. The outcome of this race will significantly impact the legislative agenda in the upcoming session, the internal dynamics of the Texas House, and the broader political landscape of Texas.
As the race unfolds, the candidates’ strategies, endorsements, and policy positions will become clearer, setting the stage for one of the most consequential leadership contests in recent Texas history.
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