Here’s a quick recap of what happened over the last week:
Texas House Speaker Race
Prior to the New Year, state Rep. Gary Gates – Republican from Fort Bend County – sent a letter to all Republican colleagues that criticized his fellow members for the intraparty fighting and decried the tactics being deployed by both Speaker candidates in the race for Speaker. Rep. David Cook of Mansfield has been chosen by the Republican caucus as the nominee for Speaker, but Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock is mounting his own candidacy for Speaker as well. Neither can claim the 76 total votes needed to become Speaker in the 150-member House.
Cook has been endorsed by 57 of his 88 Republican colleagues while the total for Burrows is unknown. Burrows initially released a list of 38 Republicans and 38 Democrats that he claimed supported him, but at least 8 Republicans have claimed Burrows used their name without consent.
In his letter, Gates said he and Republican colleague Ryan Guillen of Rio Grande City are speaking with all members of the caucus to see if there is a candidate that is acceptable to 76 of the 88 caucus members. Gates is calling for a new candidate for Speaker since neither of the two candidates have – or seemingly have a plan – to get the required 76 votes to be elected Speaker. Gates went on to warn his colleagues a new candidate is needed to unite the caucus and that if a candidate does not emerge that can garner support from the entire caucus, then Burrows will be elected Speaker with his coalition that is dependent on what will ultimately be majority support from the Democrats.
In response, Cook said in a statement he is fully committed to the race for Speaker and has no intention of dropping out. Burrows – through a statement as well – said that Gates is simply confirming that Burrows is the only candidate with the 76 votes necessary to be the next Speaker.
Ethics Complaint Filed
One member that is supporting Cook – Rep. Cody Harris of Corsicana – has filed a formal complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission – the state agency that oversees all political laws and regulations that apply to state elected officials. Cook is accusing Texas Republican Party Chairman Abraham George of “legislative bribery” through his actions to help Rep. Cook in the race for House Speaker.
A little background. After Rep. Burrows released his initial list of supporters, George contacted the Republican members on the Burrows list and indicated to the members that he would direct the Party to fund direct mail pieces to Republican primary voters in their House district regarding the member’s position in the Speaker race. In his complaint, Harris alleges that these mailers represent an “economic benefit to the incumbent member’s primary opponent”.
In response, George said that he is simply carrying out the wishes of the party delegates and urged the Ethics Commission to reject the “baseless complaint”. The party has also adopted a rule that would keep any candidate off the primary ballot if they vote for anyone other than the caucus-backed Speaker candidate. Harris has already drawn an opponent for 2026. Corsicana City Councilman Chris Woolsey has announced his intention to challenge Harris in the 2026 Republican primary.
Paxton Stumps for Cook
AG Ken Paxton – no stranger to getting involved in state House races – went on the trail this week to urge Republican House members to support the House Republican caucus nominee David Cook. Paxton was joined by Texas Republican Party chairman Abraham George at stops in Tyler, Leander, The Woodlands, and Fort Worth to pressure House members to support Cook over Rep. Dustin Burrows, who is dependent on Democratic support in his bid for Speaker of the House. Paxton’s message was that if the speakership is elected by a block of Democratic votes, then the Democrats will ultimately control the flow of legislation in the House and prevent the passage of conservative priorities.
Hundreds of Republican activists gathered at each of the four stops in support of Paxton’s message that also reiterated the elected Republican House members must carry the conservative mandate given to them by the voters to the floor of the House. While Paxton did not make a prediction on how the vote for Speaker would turn out next week, he said he is optimistic and urged the supporters in attendance to continue to pressure the Republican members that have sided with Burrows to switch their allegiance to Cook.
New Year – New Laws
Vehicle safety inspections are eliminated due to a new law effective January 1st. Texas drivers will no longer have to get the standard annual check of brakes, lights, and other features as part of the registration process. However – due to federal requirements – residents in the state’s urban areas and surrounding counties will have to continue to have emissions inspections as part of the federal emissions reduction plan. Drivers in Harris, Dallas, Travis, and all surrounding counties are still subject to emissions testing on their vehicles. Emissions testing will now be about $25, with $18.50 going to the emissions test and $7.50 going to the state to replace the money not being collected by the annual safety inspection. So, in the end, you don’t have to get the inspection, but you still have to pay for the annual registration of your vehicle.
Another new law allows homeowners to grow your annual homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000 starting January 1st. This is the result of an $18 billion property tax relief package passed in the series of special sessions in 2023. The relief package also limits property tax increases to 20 percent of the annual appraised value.
UT President Leaving for SMU
In a surprise announcement this week, University of Texas President Jay Hartzell announced that he is leaving his current position to become the next President of Southern Methodist University. Hartzell has served as UT’s President since 2020, when he was promoted from his position as Dean of the McCombs School of Business. Hartzell will finish the academic year at UT and assume his new role on June 1st.
Hartzell’s departure comes on the heels of the abrupt resignations of the police chief and provost last fall in the wake of the pro-Palestinian protests that saw more than 130 arrests and led to a vote of no confidence in Hartzell from the faculty and the American Association of University Professors. Hartzell also faced a new era in university politics due to the new exclusions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion placed on public institutions by the legislature that eliminated any support for students of color as well as LGBTQ students. Hartzell also oversaw the expansion of university scholarships, its move to the Southeastern Conference, and the start of multiple capital improvement projects such as the renovation of the UT Tower and the establishment of a university-based MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Hartzell leaves UT at a time where enrollment reached an all-time high this year of over 54,000 students and is also at its highest level of competitiveness and national rankings. SMU has a student population of just over 12,000 and being a private institution, is not subject to the same laws and legislative scrutiny as public institutions.
Hartzell succeeds Gerald Turner at SMU, who has served as President there for over 30 years. The University of Texas Board of Regents will immediately begin a nationwide search for his replacement.
Biden Commutes Death Row Sentences
President Biden has commuted the sentences of seven Texas inmates on federal death row. Six of the inmates were sentenced to death for the killing of other federal inmates inside a federal correctional facility in Beaumont. The other was sentenced to death for the killing of three men in 2002, including killing a man for selling him wood instead of narcotics. In all, Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 federal inmates on death row. They are now facing life in prison without the possibility of parole. The three that were not granted clemency are the surviving brother of the Boston Marathon bombing, the shooter at the Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and the shooter at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. This continues the Biden administration policy of placing a moratorium on the death penalty except in the cases of terrorism or mass murder.
Paxton Sues NCAA
Texas AG Ken Paxton has sued the NCAA regarding the participation of transgender athletes in college sports. The lawsuit centers on alleged deceptive trade practices and claims the NCAA – the governing body of all college sports competitions – promotes “women’s” sporting events that include biological males. The lawsuit is requesting an injunction to stop all transgender athletes from competing in NCAA women’s events. The lawsuit also argues that fans support the competitions with the expectation that only women will be competing against other women, not against transgender athletes. The suit also raises safety concerns regarding the physical advantage of transgender athletes. In more detail, the suit alleges the NCAA is violating the Deceptive Trade Practices Act by selling tickets to and marketing for women’s sports without clear disclosure that biological males are allowed to participate. In addition to the injunction, the suit calls for the NCAA to properly market any competition. Other similar lawsuits have been filed by other jurisdictions including against the Mountain West Conference over similar concerns.
Odds and Ends
The US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments next week on Texas House Bill 1181, which established an age verification system for adult websites. The bill – signed into law in June of 2023 – requires the adult websites to develop age verification methods to ensure anyone accessing the website is at least 18 years of age. A similar law passed recently in Tennessee was recently blocked by a federal judge in Memphis. At least 13 other states have enacted similar laws that remain in effect. The Texas case could establish case law that will apply to the laws in all other states.
As the University of Texas prepares to play later this evening in the Cotton Bowl, Longhorn fans are concerned with the bet that US Senator Ted Cruz has placed with Senate colleague JD Vance of Ohio. Vance graduated from Ohio State, the Longhorns’ opponent this evening. The wager is for the loser to bring beer and food from his home state to the winner wearing a jersey from the winning team. Texas fans are worried about the “Cruz Curse”, a belief that whatever team Cruz supports loses when he is in attendance. There is some merit to the paranoia. Cruz was in attendance for the Longhorns loss to Washington in last year’s College Playoff semifinal game and wore an Aggie shirt at the Texas vs. Texas A&M game in November. He has been at several of the Astros’ playoff games – including last year – when the Astros have come out on the losing end. Cruz counters by saying he was there for the biggest victory of all – when the Astros won their 2nd World Series title in 2022. Longhorn fans are pleading for Cruz to stay away from Arlington tonight. No word on whether Cruz will attend the game.
Political Notes
More Republican House members that are supporting Rep. Dustin Burrows for Speaker have drawn potential challengers for the 2026 Republican primary. Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth will likely be challenged again by Jack Reynolds, a former faculty member at Tarrant County College. Geren soundly defeated Reynolds in the 2024 Republican primary.
Staying in north Texas, former Senate candidate Jace Yarbrough – defeated by incoming Senator Mike Hagenbuch of Denton – is considering a challenge to Frisco Republican Jared Patterson. Yarbrough lost in a runoff this year to Hagenbuch in the race for the open Senate seat based in Denton. Current Senator Drew Springer did not seek reelection.
Rep. Stan Kitzman of Wharton will also face conservative activist Eric Pinteralli, who says Kitzman has “betrayed his voters” by supporting Burrows.
Burrows himself has not drawn an opponent for 2026 yet, but he has been subjected to polling in his House district. Texans for a Conservative Majority commissioned Ascend to conduct a poll recently that showed only 31% of likely Republican primary voters approve of Burrows, compared to 37% who disapprove. The same poll showed that 57% of those voters would vote for a “more conservative” alternative to Burrows in 2026.
More polling news. Victory Insights – a national firm that focuses on data and statistics – has released a poll regarding a hypothetical matchup between Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and US Senator John Cornyn. Cornyn must stand for reelection to his 5th term in the US Senate in 2026. The poll released this week showed Paxton with a 42% to 34% lead over Cornyn among likely Republican primary voters. Cornyn has not announced whether he will seek reelection in 2026.
Nathan Hecht – the longest serving justice on the Texas Supreme Court – stepped down at the end of 2024 due to the mandatory retirement of any justice at the age of 75. This week, Gov. Abbott appointed Justice Jimmy Blacklock to succeed Hecht as chief justice. Blacklock has been on the court since 2017. To replace Blacklock as justice, Abbott appointed James Sullivan, who recently served as general counsel in the Governor’s office.
A candidate for Congress has posted a controversial video in which she simulates executing a migrant and saying that “undocumented persons who commit violent crimes deserve to be ended.” Valentina Gomez is moving from Missouri to challenge Republican US Congressman Dan Crenshaw of Houston in the 2026 Republican primary. Gomez posted a video on X last week that shows her firing a handgun into the back of the head of a dummy tied to a chair with a black bag over its head. Gomez, 25, ran unsuccessfully for Missouri Secretary of State in 2025.
What’s Next??
The 89th regular legislative session starts Tuesday.