AUSTIN, Texas — Democratic state Rep. John Bryant is the latest lawmaker to declare his candidacy to be the next speaker of the Texas House.

“While we know the lieutenant governor will be in charge of the Senate, Speaker Dade Phelan’s position as speaker of the Texas House is far from assured,” said Mark Jones, a Rice University professor of political sciences. 

What You Need To Know

  • There are now two Democrats and two Republicans vying for the position of Texas House speaker

  • Republicans have been working to oust Speaker Dade Phelan since school voucher legislation failed in the House

  • Even if Phelan doesn’t get the caucus nomination, he can still run from the floor

Bryant didn’t respond to a request for comment, but he’s also not the only Democrat wanting to unseat Phelan.

Rep. Ana-María Ramos is running for speaker to “champion the rights and freedoms of all Texans.” She was unavailable for an interview but said in a statement to Capital Tonight, “If Democrats rubber-stamp a Republican speaker, the public will continue to see no difference between the two parties. No Republican has a path to the speakership without winning over us Democrats.” 

“I think very simply what you’re seeing is that on both sides of the aisle, there is discontentment with the status quo and a desire for something different,” said Rep. Tom Oliverson. 

Oliverson was the first on a long list of Republicans who expressed a desire to lead the chamber. The list of candidates is now two Democrats and two Republicans, Phelan and Rep. David Cook. 

“Dec. 7 is the caucus meeting for the Republican caucus to come together as a group of 88 and to choose who our caucus nominee would be,” said Oliverson. 

Oliverson, who is the caucus chair, believes Cook will get the needed 60% of the vote to be nominated by the caucus. 

Republicans’ efforts to oust Phelan began after school voucher legislation failed in the House. It was the same session in which the body voted to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Phelan was also criticized for his appointment of Democratic committee chairs, something Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick posted about Thursday on X. 

“We know how to work across the aisle without ceding power to the other side to let them run the Senate like Dade lets the Democrats run the House,” said Patrick. 

Texas Republican Party chair Abraham George agreed with Patrick, saying in a news conference Thursday that the party does not support a specific candidate but that they are against Democratic committee chairs. 

“We are expecting a real reform in the Texas House, and I hope we will get that because, if not, then the next primary is going to be as bloody as the last one or worse,” said George. 

Other members expect the caucus vote to be drawn out. 

“I would expect that we’ll probably be in there for a little while. We may have questions and discussion, and I think it’s good and healthy for us to have that,” said Rep. Shelby Slawson. 

Even if Phelan doesn’t get the caucus nomination, he can still run from the floor.