Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, says he's running for speaker because he wants the House "to work and not fight," and acknowledges that he's late to the party.

Smithee says he filed because he'd been invited to a meeting with Craddick and others to talk about the speaker's race and felt he needed to be a legal candidate to take part.

"I don't know if it's too late to try to make the case or not," he said. He said he wants to "change the culture of the House. That's not just one person — it's all of us."

"We have to make the House a clean place (ethically)," he said. "Members have to stay at arms-length with the lobby and at arms-length with special interest groups."

"I want to work and not fight," he said, when asked to summarize his platform.

Smithee said he'll back Straus if Straus wins the race — and expects the same in reverse — but said the House should have more than two days to pick between the two. That's a play, apparently, at the people on Straus' list of supporters, offering them a chance to reconsider now that Craddick's out. "Some debates — some discussions about where to take the House and how to do the public's work still need to be held," he said.

Smithee said Gattis has agreed to support him. Gattis said he agreed to support Smithee "if he can get the votes. "