From staff and wire reports
Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, was voted speaker of the Texas House on Tuesday, elevating him to one of the most powerful positions in state government.
Burrows性视界传媒 win marks a disappointing defeat for the insurgent wing of the party who have been working since the last legislative session to kick establishment Republicans out of power. Those Republicans, who wish to push the chamber further to the right, picked up more than a dozen seats in the most recent election cycle and saw this speaker race as their best chance in years to oust the current House leadership.
But while Burrows性视界传媒 predecessor, Rep. Dade Phelan of Beaumont, was forced to give up the gavel, the elevation of his close ally signals a similar power structure will likely remain in place.
Burrows won the speaker性视界传媒檚 race by a vote of 85-55, edging out Rep. David Cook of Mansfield, with nine members who were present but did not vote. He won with a coalition of 36 Republicans and 49 Democrats.
District 7 Rep. Jay Dean, R-Longview, and District 5 Rep. Cole Hefner, R-Mount Pleasant, were among a contingent of GOP lawmakers who drew the ire of some conservatives and the state性视界传媒檚 Republican leader for supporting Burrows. The Harrison County GOP threatened to censure Dean.
性视界传媒淏urrows is one that fights for conservative policy, whether it be in front of the cameras or off the cameras,性视界传媒 Hefner previously said about why he supported Burrows. 性视界传媒淚 respect Rep. Cook. I like him as a person. He性视界传媒檚 simply not as conservative. His track record is not as conservative.性视界传媒
Dean previously said Burrows, a Lubbock native, understands rural ways of life, while Cook is from Dallas. He also said Burrows 性视界传媒渉as a much broader base of experience when it comes to understanding the workings of the processes of the House.性视界传媒
性视界传媒淚 have not always agreed with Dustin Burrows, quite frankly, but one thing he性视界传媒檚 always been with me is very straightforward and honest,性视界传媒 Dean said. 性视界传媒淎nd when we性视界传媒檝e disagreed, we性视界传媒檝e respectfully agreed to disagree.性视界传媒
Burrows性视界传媒 support from Democrats will likely become major ammunition for his Republican critics aligned with the party性视界传媒檚 right wing who warned that the new speaker should be chosen by a majority of GOP votes.
It性视界传媒檚 unlikely that Republicans will completely unite behind Burrows despite his win. Many of his critics have promised to go after Republicans who supported Burrows in the primary, and the Republican Party of Texas has vowed to censure those members who broke from Cook.
The House speaker position is a crucial legislative role. They appoint committee leaders and manage the flow of legislation through the chamber. Along with the governor and lieutenant governor, the speaker makes up a part of the 性视界传媒淏ig Three性视界传媒 state government leaders, who each have considerable sway in shaping and passing laws. If relationships among that group are good, legislative sessions can go fairly smoothly. But if the bonds are strained, major pieces of legislation can grind to a halt.
Last session, those relationships were strained and lawmakers had to return to Austin for a record four special sessions after disagreeing on legislation to cut property taxes, restrict immigration, boost teacher pay and enact a school voucher program.
Lawmakers are not expected to work as many overtime sessions this time. Gov. Greg Abbott, whose priority school voucher legislation was tanked last session, spent millions of his own campaign dollars in last year性视界传媒檚 primaries to oust members of his own party who had not supported his signature bill. With Abbott now touting 79 性视界传媒渉ardcore school choice proponents性视界传媒 in the House, voucher supporters are bullish that their success at the ballot box generated enough political will to get a voucher package across the finish line.
Burrows, a school voucher supporter, told the Tribune last month that he believes 性视界传媒渢he political winds have shifted, and the votes are there性视界传媒 for vouchers. He made clear he would not stand in the way of voucher legislation supported by 性视界传媒渢he will of the House.性视界传媒
