New GOP Speaker Dustin Burrows could be starting his out reign from a position of historical weakness in a chamber that's a powder keg with some Republican allies apparently poised to back a move to ban Democratic committee chairs despite a promise that he used as a springboard to the dais.
But Burrows could be prepared to eliminate as many as seven standing panels in the House if the Democrats are excluded from chairmanships so the speaker wouldn't be compelled to appoint any of the Republicans who opposed him to the top jobs on committees in the House.
Democrats reportedly were livid in recent days when Burrows' team informed them that the speaker had been wrong about keeping his GOP base together long enough to prevent the addition of a Democrat chair ban to the House rules for the regular session. The Democrats' outrage over being played prompted the speaker to postpone the debate and votes on the rules until Wednesday.
Burrows would become the first Texas speaker in 22 years of GOP rule to fail to keep a team united for a battle over the rules as the first act of business in the House after a leadership election. Some Democrats may buy into a claim that Burrows was helpless and had no way to stop his own supporters into joining hands with Cook supporters to slap the chair ban in the rules. Other Democrats will be skeptical and suspect that Burrows could have used his muscle to ensure that he'd honor the centerpiece promise of his campaign but chose not to do so.
Partisan restrictions on committee chairmanships would be a first in the west wing in Austin. But the practice of Democratic chairs has been a largely token gesture that the four previous Republican speakers have made to create the appearance of sharing power with Democrats who've supported them.
None of the Democrats who've chaired House committees have ever been allowed to serve as chief sponsors on major legislation since the GOP seized control of the chamber in 2003. The Democrats - with very few exceptions - have been content to lead committees that are viewed as second-tier and less prestigious than those a speaker's GOP lieutenants have been tapped to chair.
Burrows would need a mere 14 Republican votes to block a Democratic chair prohibition if all 62 of the House Democrats opposed such a rule revision as expected. But Cook supporters who've been pushing for such as a change could prevail in that possible fight if 23 Republicans who backed Burrows on the floor last week linked arms with the GOP members who voted for the caucus candidate. It might be all but impossible to get any Republican votes to honor the game-changing Burrows pledge at that rate.
After proposing a possible House committee chair roster with some reserved for Democrats, here's a hypothetical lineup with a Republican monopoly if Burrows fails to keep his word on a ban.
The list below is based on the possible elimination of a half-dozen committees and consolidation of responsibilities into standing panels that are still in business.
Almost all of the Republicans who voted for Burrows for speaker would land committee chairs on the shrunken all-GOP roster without the need to fill any remaining openings with Republican representatives who supported Cook.
Agriculture & Livestock: Jay Dean, R-Longview
Appropriations: Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood (current)
Business & Economic Development: Angie Chen Button, R-Garland (current-consolidated)
Calendars: Cody Harris, R-Palestine
County Affairs: Stan Gerdes, R-Smithville
Criminal Jurisprudence & Corrections: Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston
Culture, Recreation & Tourism: Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont
Defense & Veterans Affairs: Stan Lambert, R-Abilene
Elections: Angelia Orr, R-Itasca
Energy Resources: Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth
Environmental Regulation: Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa (current)
General Investigating: Jared Patterson, R-Frisco
Higher Education: Carl Tepper, R-Lubbock
Homeland Security & Public Safety: Terry Wilson, R-Georgetown (current)
House Administration: Will Metcalf, R-Conroe (current)
Health & Human Services: Lacey Hull, R-Houston
Insurance: Stan Kitzman, R-Brookshire
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence: Jeff Leach, R-Allen (current)
Land & Resource Management: Keith Bell, R-Forney
Licensing & Administrative Procedures: Ken King, R-Canadian (current)
Local & Consent Calendars: Gary Gates, R-Richmond
Natural Resources: Drew Darby, R-San Angelo
Pensions, Investments & Financial Services: Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake (current)
Public Education: Brad Buckley, R-Salado (current)
Redistricting: Janie Lopez, R-San Benito
State Affairs: Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi (current)
Transportation: Cole Hefner, R-Mount Plesant
Ways & Means: Morgan Meyer, R-Dallas (current)
