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Texas House of Representatives

The latest Texas House of Representatives news from The Texas Tribune.

  • Who's Next?

    By Texas Tribune Staff

    Kay Bailey Hutchison’s announcement that she won't run again for her U.S. Senate seat wasn't entirely unexpected, but it still has the potential to overturn the state's political apple cart. To separate the would-bes from the could-bes in a 2012 race, we’ve created a guide to certain, likely and plausible candidates — as well a few who are plausible only to us here at the Trib. Full Story 

  • Pitts: "There Will Be Less State Employees"

    By Evan Smith

    In our TribLive conversation this morning, state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, spoke frankly about the certainty that state employees would be cut as part of the Legislature's solution to the budget shortfall — and he said furloughs for employees who aren't cut may be ordered as well. Full Story 

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  • HuTube: Behind the Scenes on Day One

    By Elise Hu

    In our latest HuTube video blog post, we take you to the Texas House on day one of the 82nd Legislative session. Come with us as we go through the new security system, visit with lawmakers and witness the election of the House Speaker. Full Story 

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  • Paxton Bows Out

    By Justin Dehn

    State Rep. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, speaks on the opening day of the 82nd Legislative Session about his withdrawal from the race for Texas House Speaker. Full Story 

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  • TribBlog: The First Non-Vote

    By Reeve Hamilton

    After winning a rough and tumble contest for his seat, freshman state Rep. Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, got his first chance at a record vote in the Texas House of Representatives today. And when that vote finally came, what did he do? He abstained. Full Story 

    State Rep. Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs.
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • TribBlog: Chisum Supports Straus

    By Ross Ramsey

    State Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, is dropping his challenge to House Speaker Joe Straus and will vote for the incumbent when the House convenes later today, he said in a letter released this morning. Full Story 

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    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • Decision Time

    By Ross Ramsey

    The Texas Legislature today starts its 140-day effort to puzzle out a massive budget deficit, political redistricting, immigration and a slew of other gnarly problems. The budget issues came into focus Monday with new numbers from the comptroller, who says the state is recovering, slowly, from the recession. But first, legislators will get organized, voting on new rules, a new Speaker, and getting sworn in. Full Story 

    House Speaker Joe Straus, R-Alamo Heights, in January 2011.
    Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

  • TribBlog: Paxton Still In Speaker Race

    By Ross Ramsey

    State Rep. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, will stay in the race for speaker tomorrow though he got spanked in the Republican Caucus today. More than two-thirds of the caucus membes expressed their support for Speaker Joe Straus in a non-binding preference poll conducted behind closed doors. Full Story 

    State Rep. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, after failing to win the endorsement of GOP caucus members for House speaker on Jan. 10, 2011.
    Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune

  • Straus: Speaker's Race "Overanalyzed"

    By Elise Hu

    Despite loud protests from Tea Party groups that pushed for a more conservative leader, the Texas House Republican Caucus endorsed incumbent Speaker Joe Straus in an afternoon vote. Straus, appearing after the meeting, said the notion of a speaker's race was "overstudied and overanalyzed." Full Story 

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  • TribBlog: Republicans for Straus

    By Ross Ramsey

    House Speaker Joe Straus has the support of the House Republican legislative caucus, which met on the afternoon before the legislative session to take the measure of the incumbent and two challengers: Warren Chisum of Pampa and Ken Paxton of McKinney. With all but one of the 101 Republicans in the House present, 70 stood up to show their support for Straus in the closed meeting, according to legisaltors who were inside. With that done, there was no reason to check the support for the other two candidates. Full Story 

    House Speaker Joe Straus entering a GOP House caucus meeting on January 10, 2011.
    Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

  • A Conversation With Three Incoming House Members

    By Evan Smith

    For our first TribLive conversation of 2011, I interviewed Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock; Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs; and Paul Workman, R-Austin, about the Speaker's race, the budget shortfall, immigration, the Tea Party and how they and other newbies will navigate the 82nd legislative session. Full Story 

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    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • Counting Straws

    By Ross Ramsey

    The House Republican Caucus will meet today to debate whether it should choose a favorite in the race for speaker of the House among the three candidates: the incumbent, Joe Straus of San Antonio, and Warren Chisum of Pampa and Ken Paxton of McKinney. But the vote's not binding. So why do it? Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman/Bob Daemmrich

  • TribBlog: Medina Prefers Straus to "Iron Fist" Leaders

    By Ross Ramsey

    Republicans might not all like House Speaker Joe Straus, but he's got a better chance than his predecessor to lead the House to "fiscally responsible, limited and just government," according to Debra Medina, the conservative activist and former Republican gubernatorial candidate. Full Story 

    Governor candidate Debra Medina greets visitors at the Fort Bend County Chamber of Commerce prior to her speech in a heavily Republican area of Houston on Thursday.
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • TribBlog: Patrick Wades Into Caucus Controversy

    By Evan Smith

    A speaker preference vote in the House Republican Caucus is "simply the right thing to do," state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, said Friday night, wading into a roiling controversy that has pit Republican against Republican in the aftermath of November's election. Full Story 

    State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston.
    Credit: Candidate photo

  • Green House

    By Ross Ramsey

    The biggest caucus in the Texas House is the Republicans', now with 101 members. Next? The Democrats', at 49. And then there’s the freshman class — one of the biggest in years — with 38 members. All but six are Republicans, and many of them replaced Democrats. They face some challenges. Full Story 

    Members of the freshmen class of 2011 at their new member orientation in December 2010.
    Credit: Justin Dehn

  • TribBlog: Straus, Paxton and the Tea Party

    By Reeve Hamilton

    Hoping to see a debate between the candidates for speaker? A group of Tea Party organizations recently posed an identical set of questions to Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, and contender Ken Paxton, R-McKinney. The result is not really a debate, but it might be the closest we get. Full Story 

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    Credit: Bob Daemmrich