Texas House Republicans choose their speaker candidate, but the loser declares victory ... and more news

The Dallas Morning News

t will be mostly sunny and warmer today with a high of 70. Clouds will move in this evening and the temperature will drop into the low 40s in preparation for Tuesday’s high of only 49. It took three rounds of voting, but two-term Rep. David Cook emerged Saturday as the choice of most House Republicans for speaker when the Texas Legislature convenes in January. It may not be enough. Shortly after the closed-door meeting at the Capitol ended with Cook’s selection, his opponent — Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock — announced that with support from Democrats, he had the votes needed to become speaker. In other news, A man fatally shot near a park in Seagoville was identified by the Dallas County medical examiner’s office; Steve Sarkisian filed his own complaint Sunday about the College Football Playoff process, adding to the pile around committee members. Sarkisian took issue with first-round byes for the four highest-ranked conference champs. If the byes went instead to the four highest-ranked teams regardless of whether they’re wearing league crowns, Texas would be off until New Year’s. Meanwhile, SMU fans and players were forced to sweat it out for more than half an hour watching ESPN’s College Football Playoff Selection Show Sunday, but ultimately they got the reward they deserved.

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