A third challenger is now in the race for Texas House Speaker. David Cook, a Republican from Mansfield in north Texas, announced on Tuesday he intends to run for the position currently held by Beaumont Republican Dade Phelan. Cook says he would name only Republicans to chair House committees. Conservative House members believe Phelan has handed too much power to the opposition by continuing the House's long-standing bipartisan tradition of naming both Republicans and Democrats to lead legislative panels.