FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct 25, 2024
Contact: Jacob Lee
(832) 819-0893

WHEREAS, the Texas House Republican Caucus met on December 7, 2024, to nominate a candidate for Speaker in compliance with the Republican Party of Texas Platform; and

WHEREAS, the Texas House Republican Caucus voted on the third ballot to support State Representative David Cook of Tarrant County as their official nominee; and

WHEREAS, after extensive meetings with, and concessions offered by, Representative Dustin Burrows, the Texas House Democrat Caucus, led by radical Houston representative Gene Wu, has “released” its members to vote for a Republican Speaker candidate other than Representative Cook, in an effort to stop Republican agenda items such as school choice, ending taxpayer funded lobbying, and ending the practice of appointing Democrat chairs; and

WHEREAS, State Representative Dustin Burrows, in coordination with Democrats and establishment Republicans, released a list of 76 Representatives (38 Republicans and 38 Democrats) who he claims have committed to vote for him; and

WHEREAS, Several Representatives who were on that list have since issued public statements stating that they never approved of being included on the list and support Representative Cook, leaving Representative Burrows with a majority- Democrat coalition; and

WHEREAS, Representative Burrows’s list of purported supporters includes Fort Bend County Republican Representatives Gary Gates and Stan Kitzman, alongside Fort Bend County Democrat Representative Suleman Lalani and outgoing House Speaker Dade Phelan;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Fort Bend County Republican Party urges all members of the Texas House Republican Caucus to unite behind Representative David Cook and to immediately and publicly commit to vote for him in the floor vote for Speaker of the House; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fort Bend County Republican Party calls on Representative Dustin Burrows to immediately suspend any campaign activities for Speaker of the House and to commit to support Representative Cook; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fort Bend County Republican Party condemns any effort by Republican Representatives to ally with Democrats to elect a Speaker who was not supported by the majority vote of the Texas House Republican Caucus; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fort Bend County Republican Party calls on Representatives Gates. Kitzman and Morgan to publicly disavow participation in any Representative’s attempt to secure the Speakership other than the Representative selected by the Republican Caucus; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fort Bend County Republican Party shall consider a vote for Representative Burrows, or any other candidate who depends on Democrat votes to be elected and who was not supported by the Texas House Republican Caucus, to be Speaker to be a violation of Republican Party of Texas Legislative Priority #4, No Democrat Chairs, and qualifies for censure under Republican Party of Texas Rule No. 44; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fort Bend County Republican Party shall consider that a vote for a House Rule to allow a secret ballot vote for the Speaker election, to be a violation of Republican Party of Texas Legislative Priority #4, No Democrat Chairs, and qualifies for censure under Republican Party of Texas Rule No.44.
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Adopted by the Fort Bend County Republican Party’s County Executive Committee on December 10, 2024.

Bobby Eberle

Chairman, Fort Bend County Republican Party

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