Resolution Urging Harris County Republican Representatives to Vote for Caucus Nominee for Speaker Runoff Elections
WHEREAS, Plank 213 of the 2024 Republican Party of Texas Platform states in part:
Texas Speaker of the House, House Committees, and Legislative Quorum:
In the Texas Legislature:
a) We oppose the use of pledge cards and call for Republican members to caucus after each November General Election to determine, by secure secret ballot, their candidate for Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore. We also call for Republican members to vote as a unified body for their selected Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore candidate when the Legislature convenes in regular session, provided that the individual selected in caucus for speaker publicly pledges to comply with the entirety of this plank; and
WHEREAS, the Texas House Republican Caucus met on December 7, 2024, to nominate a candidate for Speaker in compliance with the Platform; and
WHEREAS, in the third vote, 26 Republican Representatives walked out of the Texas House Republican Caucus vote in an attempt to deny quorum to the Caucus so that a candidate could be elected with Democratic votes; and
WHEREAS, the Texas House Republican Caucus voted on the third ballot to support 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 Democratic 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 Democratic chairs; and
WHEREAS, Representative Burrows 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-Democratic coalition; and
WHEREAS, Representative Burrows’s list of purported supporters includes Harris County Republican Representatives Sam Harless and Lacey Hull, alongside Harris County Democratic Representatives Harold Dutton, Ana Hernandez, Ann Johnson, Mary Ann Perez, Jon Rosenthal, Lauren Simmons, and Armando Walle; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Harris 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 Harris 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 Harris 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 Harris County Republican Party commends Representatives Briscoe Cain, Charles Cunningham, Mano DeAyala, Tom Oliverson, Dennis Paul, Mike Schofield, and Valoree Swanson for participating faithfully in the Caucus process outlined in the Platform and for committing to vote for the Caucus nominee for Speaker of the House; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Harris County Republican Party calls on Representatives Harless and Hull to publicly disavow participation in Representative Burrows’s attempt to secure the Speakership against the wishes of the Republican Caucus using a majority-Democratic coalition and to commit to supporting Representative Cook in accordance with the Caucus vote and with the Republican Party of Texas Platform; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Harris County Republican Party shall consider a vote for Representative Burrows, or any other candidate who depends on Democratic votes to be elected and was not supported by the Texas House Republican Caucus, to be Speaker, or 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 Democratic Chairs, for censure under Republican Party of Texas Rule No. 44.
Respectfully submitted to the Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee,
Scott Bowen, SREC SD6, Precinct 416 Chairman
D’Rinda Randall, Republican Party of Texas Vice Chairman, Precinct 768 Chairman
Vergel Cruz, Republican Party of Texas Secretary, Former SREC SD15, Precinct 578 Chairman
Ralph Fite, Republican Party of Texas Treasurer, SREC SD7, Precinct 499 Chairman
Cindy Siegel, Harris County Republican Party Chairman
Josh Flynn, Harris County Republican Party Secretary, Precinct 407 Chairman
Dale Inman, SREC SD4, Senior Pastor of The Woodlands Bible Church
Dawn McDonald, SREC SD6, Precinct 996 Chairman
Deborah Kelting Fite, SREC SD7
Gaylyn DeVine, SREC SD11, Precinct 537 Chairman
Dr. Milinda Morris, SREC SD13, Precinct 490 Chairman
Rolando Garcia, SREC SD15
Brenda Estis, SREC SD15
Pastor Rex Teter, Former SREC SD6, SD6 Chairman, Precinct 302 Chairman
Tom Nobis, Former SREC SD7, Precinct 314 Chairman
Mark Ramsey, Former SREC SD7, Board Member, North Harris County Regional Water Authority
Steve Watson, SD4 Chairman, Precinct 700 Chairman
James Buntrock, SD7 Chairman, Precinct 726 Chairman
Robert Jeter III, SD11 Chairman, Precinct 662 Chairman
Shari Newton, SD13 Chairman, Precinct 564 Chairman
William Rufus Estis, SD15 Chairman, Precinct 448 Chairman
James Clayton, SD17 Chairman, Precinct 362 Chairman
Howard Barker, SD18 Chairman, Precinct 675 Chairman
Phyllis Hildenbrand, Precinct 13 Chairman
Don Hooper, Precinct 16 Chairman
Betty Edwards, Precinct 18 Chairman
Lindsay Lazarus, Precinct 20 Chairman
James Honey, Precinct 21 Chairman
Pastor Evan McClanahan, Precinct 26 Chairman
Al K. Rivera, Precinct 27 Chairman
Paul Cravey, Precinct 28 Chairman
Fausto Nolasco, Precinct 44 Chairman
Terry King, Precinct 49 Chairman
Manuel Ramirez, Precinct 62 Chairman
Susan Helms, Precinct 83 Chairman
Frank Monacelli, Precinct 87 Chairman
James Bowen, Precinct 91 Chairman
Marga Matthews, Precinct 100 Chairman
Cindy Adamek, Precinct 110 Chairman
Judi DeHaan, Precinct 111 Chairman
Amy Duty, Precinct 113 Chairman
Connie Vuong, Precinct 120 Chairman
David Barker, Precinct 126 Chairman, Board Treasurer, North Harris County Regional Water Authority
Douglas L. Berry, Precinct 133 Chairman
Sarah Singleton, Precinct 143 Chairman
Russell Rush, Precinct 155 Chairman
Teresa Thomas, Precinct 173 Chairman, Moms for America State Director
Monica Roberts, Precinct 179 Chairman
David Hokanson, Precinct 183 Chairman
Patricia Phillips, Precinct 189 Chairman
Keith Nielsen, Precinct 190 Chairman, President of San Jacinto Conservatives
Shayne Singer, Precinct 200 Chairman
Jennifer Kruse, Precinct 213 Chairman
Ronald Noblett, Precinct 215 Chairman
Ana Flor Lopez Millan, Precinct 222 Chairman
Alicia Cantrell, Precinct 227 Chairman
Aaron Cichon, Precinct 233 Chairman
Barbara Walker, Precinct 246 Chairman
Erich Wolz, Precinct 255 Chairman
Evelyn Lantz, Precinct 256 Chairman
Charles B. Grindon, Precinct 258 Chairman
Nicholas Hughes, Precinct 266 Chairman
Kristina Chervenka, Precinct 268 Chairman
Gary Sintas Jr., Precinct 279 Chairman
David Nadel, Precinct 287 Chairman
Jim Bigham, Precinct 296 Chairman
Timothy Grant Taft, Precinct 298 Chairman
Roberta Amley, Precinct 299 Chairman
Clark Denson, Precinct 300 Chairman
Elizabeth Lauzon, Precinct 306 Chairman
Erin Boyd, Precinct 307 Chairman
Claud Roundtree, Precinct 310 Chairman
Joyce Clingerman, Precinct 320 Chairman
Cordelia Harwood Ewing, Precinct 330 Chairman
Paola Velasco, Precinct 347 Chairman
Shannon Mitchel, Precinct 350 Chairman
Marshall Bates, Precinct 360 Chairman
Clinton Thornburg, Precinct 364 Chairman
Hayward Babin, Precinct 368 Chairman
Jennifer Henry, Precinct 370 Chairman
John Randall, Precinct 383 Chairman
Charles Peyton Rushing, Precinct 385 Chairman
John Isaacks, Precinct 386 Chairman
Sheila Bernhard, Precinct 295 Chairman
Heather Palomo, Precinct 398 Chairman
Daniel Johns, Precinct 408 Chairman
Justin Watkins, Precinct 415 Chairman
Bill Fagan, Precinct 421 Chairman, Vacancy Committee Vice Chairman
Peter Bowen, Precinct 425 Chairman
Craig Holtzclaw, Precinct 427 Chairman
Damian Derby, Precinct 438 Chairman
Thomas Bray, Precinct 443 Chairman
Eric Vasquez, Precinct 444 Chairman
Katherine Foster, Precinct 451 Chairman
Jason Bishop, Precinct 456 Chairman
Audra Deaver, Precinct 459 Chairman
Lisa Wiggins McMinn, Precinct 465 Chairman
Tiffany Patenaude, Precinct 470 Chairman
Charlotte Mays, Precinct 468 Chairman
Tracy Lynn Shannon, Precinct 469 Chairman
Rodney Deschamps, Precinct 479 Chairman
Melissa Rowell, Precinct 480 Chairman, Board President, North Harris County Regional Water Authority
Robert Boudreaux, Precinct 486 Chairman
John Dzung Truong, Precinct 487 Chairman
Debra Pannell, Precinct 513 Chairman
William Arthur Potter, Precinct 518 Chairman
Curtis McKinley, Precinct 519 Chairman
Dore Sulistyo, Precinct 522 Chairman
Cynthia Leigh Coker, Precinct 532 Chairman
Meg Seff, Precinct 540 Chairman
Ommer Newell Cheatheam, Precinct 547 Chairman
Jeff L. MacGeorge, Precinct 548 Chairman
Martin Renteria, Precinct 552 Chairman
Kendrick Dean, Precinct 566 Chairman
Marsha Bujnoch, Precinct 568 Chairman
Martha Velasquez, Precinct 575 Chairman, Director, Bridgestone MUD, President, Gosling Pines HOA
Robert Fuller, Precinct 588 Chairman
Alexie Swirsky, Precinct 597 Chairman
Michael Walton, Precinct 601 Chairman
Darryl Aldrich, Precinct 603 Chairman
Janet Southern, Precinct 610 Chairman
Samuel Marinov, Precinct 616 Chairman
Mary Ellen Cuzela, Precinct 619 Chairman, Trustee, Katy ISD
Linda Nuttall, Precinct 622 Chairman
Jim McSpadden, Precinct 625 Chairman
Donald McKenty, Precinct 640 Chairman
Tommy Blake Slocum, Sr., Precinct 641 Chairman
Russell Metzler, Precinct 643 Chairman
George Sargent, Precinct 645 Lead (Adopted)
Charles E. Cupples, Precinct 646 Chairman
Marina Trevino, Precinct 655 Chairman
Thomas Bazan, Precinct 661 Chairman
Nikki Nisbet Fagan, Precinct 663 Chairman
Christian V. Garcia, Precinct 664 Chairman
Joe Kelly, Precinct 665 Chairman
Gwen Bullock, Precinct 668 Chairman
Tracey Chilla, Precinct 674 Chairman and SD4 Vice Chairman
J. R. Haas, Precinct 684 Chairman
Teri Rostron, Precinct 688 Chairman
Frederick A. Box, Precinct 696 Chairman
Deborah Smith, Precinct 703 Chairman
Jenny Limcher, Precinct 704 Chairman
Carrie Whillock, Precinct 709 Chairman
Stephen Brownlow, Precinct 712 Chairman
David Farrington, Precinct 713 Chairman
Steve May, Precinct 715 Chairman
Karen Plante, Precinct 718 Chairman
Luke Cowan, Precinct 721 Chairman
James Simmons, Precinct 724 Chairman
Joseph McReynolds, Precinct 730 Chairman
Joseph R. Spence, Precinct 732 Chairman
George W. Porter Jr., Precinct 734 Chairman, Military Partnership Committee Vice-Chairman
Gavin Babineaux, Precinct 741 Chairman
Mary Corbin, Precinct 744 Chairman
Erroll Ivery, Precinct 748 Chairman
Eric Biersdorfer, Precinct 751 Chairman
Tamara Rodriguez, Precinct 759 Chairman
Maria Luiza Garza, Precinct 762 Chairman
Carmen Cavazos, Precinct 763 Chairman
Dave Bennett, Precinct 765 Chairman
Mark Callahan, Precinct 790 Chairman
Drake Cameron, Precinct 805 Chairman
Vicki Kunetka, Precinct 813 Chairman
Michael Wolfe, Precinct 820 Chairman
William Ely, Precinct 844 Chairman
Diana Gee, Precinct 852 Chairman
Frank C. Lytle, Precinct 860 Chairman
Jan Ray Hendricks, Precinct 880 Chairman
George Brian Vachris, Precinct 885 Chairman
Julie Hunt, Precinct 894 Chairman
Matthew Goitia, Precinct 895 Chairman
Leo Kozadinos, Precinct 896 Chairman
Christopher Wilson, Precinct 901 Chairman
Miles Sasser, Precinct 902 Chairman
James Sword, Precinct 912 Chairman
Shirley Kitchens, Precinct 915 Chairman
Rev. Thomas H. Herold, Precinct 935 Chairman
Terry Wheeler, Precinct 972 Chairman
Ronald E. Carr, Precinct 973 Chairman
Mark Calabrese, Precinct 982 Chairman
Donald Smither, Precinct 995 Chairman
Loren Bruening, Precinct 1008 Chairman
Marianne Martinez, Precinct 1021 Chairman
Patrick McNerney, Precinct 1056 Chairman
Donald Ray Davis, Precinct 1061 Chairman
Daniel McLachlan, Precinct 1084 Chairman
Brian Boznango, Precinct 1093 Chairman
Tracy Sonnier, Precinct 1096 Chairman, Retired Law Enforcement
Deborah Guitian Roan, Precinct 1101 Chairman
David Velasquez, Precinct 1102 Chairman
Dan Hudson, Precinct 1104 Chairman
Rodney Giles, Precinct 1145 Chairman
Donald Sickafoose, Precinct 1146 Chairman
Jeff Ivey, Precinct 1166 Chairman
Sara Casper, Early Voting Ballot Board Poll Watcher
Christopher Green, HD128 Resident
Pastor Rodney Sims, HD128 Resident
Jennifer Mathews, Former Precinct Chair, HD127 Resident
