Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Hes got lots of people encouraging him but hes a thoughtful person" said Sylvia Nugent spokeswoman for Republican State Representative Four Price of Amarillo who is being encouraged by other Texas House Members to replace outgoing Texas House Speaker Joe Straus who announced his retirement Wednesday morning in Austin.
Several members called Price Wednesday encouraging him to throw his hat in the ring" but Price wants to take time to consider it with his wife family and supporters Nugent said. Hes going to make a thoughtful serious decision. Its not going to be a spur-of-the-moment thing" said Nugent.
Price a fourth generation Texan who is a panhandle attorney and banker represents House District 87 covering Potter Sherman Moore Carson and Hutchinson counties. He was first elected to the Texas House in 2010.
Nugent said Price who has long been described by colleagues as a consensus-builder and potential future contender for the speakers chair should Straus retire was surprised by the Wednesday-morning 
announcement that Straus (R-San Antonio) would not seek re-election in 2018.
The Speaker of the Texas House is elected by House members on the first day of each regular legislative session. The next session is in 2019.
State Rep. John Smithee (R-Amarillo) said he was reluctant to weigh in on the speaker race because he was a member of a five-person Texas House Republican Caucus Committee that has been charged with developing a procedure to select the next speaker. The committee members whom Smithee said he had met with Wednesday in Austin decided not to speak out about the race until their committe releases its much-anticipated report.
Fours a good friend and I certainly support him in anything he does" said Smithee of Price. But Im in a bit of an unusual position on this."
At issue for the committee was deciding if the caucus should decide on a single candidate for speaker who all party members would pledge to support. Republicans are currently free to team up with the
Houses 55 Democrats to elect a speaker.
Straus was first elected Speaker of the House in 2009 when he challenged and beat the sitting speaker Republican Tom Craddick (right) of Midland. Straus was re-elected speaker by unanimous voted in January of this year.
In announcing his retirement on Monday Straus said Its been decades since someone has left the speakers office on his own terms" calling his ascent and approach to governing unusual in these divisive times."
After Strauss announcement on Wednesday State Rep. John Zerwas a Republican from Richmond and a Straus lieutenant who chairs the powerful House Appropriations Committee said he had filed the official paperwork to run for speaker.
State Rep. Phil King of Weatherford surprised many capitol analysts last month when he announced he would be challenging Straus and running for speaker.
Straus appointed Price as chairman of the House Committee on Public Health during the 2017 Legislative Session and also tapped Price earlier this week to chair a newly created Select Committee on Opioids & Substance Abuse in the Texas House.
Were a ways away from making that decision (to elect the new Speaker) but rest assured were going to elect a leader who respects every member said State Rep. Ken King (left R-Canadian) whose 
panhandle district sits adjacent to Prices when asked about electing a new speaker.
I dont see us electing a member that says its his way or no way no matter what their political affiliation."
