Craddick backers go to Smithee

AUSTIN (KX - The more than 50 conservative Republicans in the Texas House who attended Speaker Rep. Tom Craddick’s (R-Midland) meeting at Sullivan’s Steakhouse Sunday night emerged united behind a new man for Speaker, Rep. John Smithee (R-Amarillo).

It puts a new wrinkle in the race for Speaker. While Rep. Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) has revealed 85 pledges for speaker, Smithee promises a ground war campaign to win majority support. Right now, he can claim between 55 and 60 pledges as Craddick chosen successor.

Smithee promises this will be an honest race, a fair race and one that is based on the preferences of each individual member. Everyone will be able to vote his or her conscience, Smithee said.

“I wasn’t pressured to run,” Smithee said. “I will run a fair race and not pressure anyone to come back over to our side.”

Just an hour before the Craddick meeting, Rep. Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) released a list of 85 representatives who vowed to support him as the next Speaker of the Texas House. The list contained anticipated Republican and Democratic pledges, plus a few surprises.

“We’ve already talked to some of those people,” said Smithee. “They want to come back over.”

Rep. Straus’s list includes 70 Democrats and 15 Republicans. A Speaker needs 76 votes to win.

“It’s a list of mainly Democrats.” said Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) “If Straus wins, Democrats will run the House.”

Straus has a long history in the Republican party, but the Republicans who showed up at Craddick’s meeting say he is not conservative enough to run a Republican majority House.

”Just look at his record,” was all Rep. Dan Flynn (R-Van) would say when asked why he does not support Straus.

Smithee said he wants to run a fair campaign for Speaker and get elected based on his experience and the respect other members have for him. “I want to restore integrity to the House,” he said.