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| 1 |
* Dade Phelan |
| 2 |
* John Smithee |
| 3 |
Todd Hunter |
| 4 |
* Tom Oliverson |
| 5 |
Cody Harris |
| 6 |
* James Frank |
| 7 |
* David Cook |
| 8 |
* Shelby Slawson |
| 9 |
Drew Darby |
| 10 |
Brad Buckley |
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* Announced |
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Veteran State Rep. John Smithee of Amarillo launched a bid for Texas House speaker on Friday night in a move that gave the race a challenger with something to offer beyond identical positions on major issues and a common disdain for sharing of power with Democrats.
Smithee, a House member for almost 40 years, joined four GOP colleagues in the field of candidates who are taking aim at Republican Speaker Dade Phelan in the leadership election at the start of the regular session in January.
But Smithee could be Phelan's biggest threat for a number of reasons that separate him from the pack of contenders who've announced for the speaker's race with four months to go before the vote. Smithee, as a prime example, emerged as the hero in the eyes of conservatives when led the charge against the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton last year.
Smithee as a consequence is second only to Phelan in the Capitol Inside rankings of the contenders for speaker in 2025.
State Reps. Tom Oliverson of Cypress and Shelby Slawson of Stephenville have been running for the powerful post since the spring. State Reps. David Cook of Mansfield and James Frank of Wichita Falls entered the competition this month. There's speculation that State Rep. Cody Harris of Palestine could be on the verge of filing as a candidate for speaker as well.
Smithee has more experience in the Legislature's lower chamber than all of his fellow challengers combined - having been elected to the 20 times since his first race in 1984 when Ronald Reagan was on the ballot for a second term as president. Smithee's five current opponents - including the incumbent - have served 19 terms collectively.
Smithee chaired the Insurance Committee for 20 years before back-to-back stints as the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee leader during Republican Joe Straus' final two terms as speaker in 2015 and 2017. The GOP's Dennis Bonnen busted Smith as a committee chief when he won the gavel in 2019. Smithee was snubbed again when Phelan appointed committee chairs in 2021 and 2023.
Oliverson has served two terms as the current Insurance Committee. Frank has been the Human Services Committee chair for three terms under Bonnen and Phelan. Slawson and Cook are both in the midst of second terms. Phelan led the State Affaris Committee for two years as his only chairmanship before his initial election as speaker in 2021. But Smithee is the only current speaker contender who chaired a committee when Democrats controlled the House until the GOP seized the majority in 2003.
But Smithee's top selling point may be the starring role that he played in the most historic vote that the House has cast in a century. Smithee warned House Republicans that they were making a monumental mistake with a vote to impeach an attorney general - in large part because the effort had no chance for success in the Senate where Paxton was acquitted in September last year. Smith told colleagues that the impeachment would be doomed across the rotunda as a blatant rush to judgment that the Phelan team hatched in the dark and sprang on the chamber on the regular session's final weekend with a mere two days for House members to deliberate.
Sixty Republicans ignored Smithee's pleas when they teamed with Democrats in support of impeachment. The saga played out from that point exactly like Smithee had warned. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Paxton both heaped praise on Smithee and endorsed him for re-election against a primary foe he defeated easily in March.
Potential endorsements for Smithee from Paxton and Patrick could prompt the other challengers to drop out of the race. Slawson is the only other challenger who voted against impeachment. Oliverson was the only House member to skip the Paxton vote and to be recorded as absent as a result.
Smithee was one of only 23 representatives - all Republicans - who voted no on impeachment.
