Dustin Burrows on bipartisanship, school vouchers and why he still thinks he’ll be Texas House speaker

State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, holds a press conference in the Speaker's Committee Room saying he has the votes to become Speaker of the House in the upcoming legislative session, on Dec. 7, 2024. (Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune)

It has been a tumultuous week for the Texas Legislature since House Speaker Dade Phelan abandoned his bid for another term.

As soon as the embattled Beaumont Republican announced his withdrawal from the race late last week, one of his top allies, Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock, launched his own bid for the gavel. Burrows’ eleventh-hour candidacy led to a dramatic showdown last weekend against Rep. David Cook of Mansfield, who won a closed-door vote to become the House Republican Caucus’ endorsed candidate after a contingent of Burrows’ supporters exited the meeting.