AUSTIN (AP) -- State House Democrats say they've lined up enough opposition to oust Republican Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick.
They released a long list of lawmakers today who say they won't vote for the Midland Republican "under any circumstances." But their contention is disputed by Craddick's camp.
The list bears signatures of 64 of the 74 House Democrats. Those 64 aren't enough to topple Craddick.
But Democrats count on a handful of Republicans who have said they won't support him to build a 76-vote majority to force election of a new speaker.
The speaker is one of the most powerful positions in Texas politics, setting the legislative agenda. The speaker is elected by the members of the House of Representatives.
Craddick is the first Republican speaker since post-Civil War Reconstruction.
He survived an attempt to oust him in the final days of the 2007 legislative session and has maintained that he'll have enough votes to win another two-year team when lawmakers meet again in January.
List of lawmakers:
Alma A. Allen, Houston
Roberto A. Alonzo, Dallas
Carol Alvarado, Houston
Rafael M. Anchia, Dallas
Valinda A. Bolton, Austin
Lon M. Burnam, Fort Worth
Joaquin Castro, San Antonio
Norma P. Chavez, El Paso
Garnet F. Coleman, Houston
Ellen R. Cohen, Houston
Yvonne Davis, Dallas
Joseph D. (Joe) Deshotel, Port Arthur
James R. (Jim) Dunnam, Waco
A. Craig Eiland, Texas City
Kirk T. England, Grand Prairie
David L. Farabee, Wichita Falls
Joe G. Farias, San Antonio
Jessica Cristina Farrar, Houston
Stephen J. Frost, New Boston
Pete P. Gallego, Alpine
Veronica Gonzales, McAllen
Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles, Alice
Roland Gutierrez, San Antonio
Ana E. Hernandez, Houston
Joe P. Heflin, Crosbyton
Abel Herrero, Corpus Christi
L. Scott Hochberg, Houston
Terri Hodge, Dallas
Mark S. Homer, Paris
Charles L. (Chuck) Hopson, Jacksonville
Donna S. Howard, Austin
Carol Kent, Dallas
David McQuade Leibowitz, San Antonio
Eduardo A. (Eddie) Lucio, III, San Benito
Diana Maldonado, Austin
Barbara Mallory Caraway, Dallas
Armando A. (Mando) Martinez, Weslaco
Trey Martinez Fischer, San Antonio
Marissa Marquez, El Paso
James A. (Jim) McReynolds, Lufkin
Jose A. Menendez, San Antonio
Robert Miklos, Mesquite
Joe Moody, El Paso
Elliott Naishtat, Austin
Rene O. Oliveira, Brownsville
Dora F. Olivo, Missouri City
Solomon P. Ortiz Jr., Corpus Christi
Joseph C. (Joe) Pickett, El Paso
Paula Hightower Pierson, Arlington
Inocente N. (Chente) Quintantilla, El Paso
Richard Pena Raymond, Laredo
Tara Rios Ybarra, Kingsville
Allan B. Ritter, Nederland
Eduardo (Eddie) Rodriguez, Austin
Patrick M. Rose, Austin
Thos. Mark Strama, Austin
Kristi Thibaut, Houston
Senfronia P. Thompson, Houston
Chris Turner, Arlington
Allen R. Vaught, Dallas
Marc A. Veasey, Fort Worth
Michael U. Villareal, San Antonio
Hubert Vo, Houston
Armando Walle, Houston
(Copyright ©2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
