Will the House be Solomons’ Temple?

State Rep. Burt Solomons entered the race for speaker Tuesday. Solomons entrance brings the number of declared speaker's candidates to 10. Half are Republicans.

Solomons, a Carrollton Republican, chairs the House Financial Institutions Committee. During the last session, Solomons said that it was "probably time" for House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) to "finish his post," according to the Dallas Morning News.

In an interview Tuesday, Solomons told the Morning News that he and Craddick have "different management styles." He said the House is at a "crucial turning point," and many House members had called him about "problems they foresee."    

In order to unify the House, Solomons said it was time to elect a different Republican as speaker.

"We have different perspectives on the body, and in my opinion I believe the body wants to have more meaningful input into the issues of the day, how we're going to govern, into our rules, into everything." Solomons told the paper. "It's really putting the entire body in a position to feel good about being public servants, address the issues of the day and make sure that everybody has equal input. Everybody."

Besides Solomons and Craddick, the other eight declared candidates are:

-          Pete Gallego (D-Alpine)

-          Scott Hochberg (D-Houston)

-          Delwin Jones (R-Lubbock)

-          Jim Keffer (R-Eastland)

-          Tommy Merrit (R-Longview)

-          Allan Ritter (D-Nederland)

-          Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston)

-          Sylvester Turner (D-Houston)