Analysis: Who’s the establishment, anyway?
The most conservative Republicans have made a strong run for the "establishment" flag, and they’re trying to strengthen their position in this year’s elections. Full Story
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![Flanked by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (left) and House Speaker Joe Straus, Gov. Greg Abbott gives the State of the State speech in…]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Straus says "decency trumped tribalism" in Roy Moore defeat
House Speaker Joe Straus praised Alabama for rejecting Roy Moore in Tuesday's special election and urged mainstream Texas voters to get involved in 2018 primaries to keep people like Moore out of power. Full Story
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![Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, gives a lunchtime speech to the Greater Austin Crime Commission on Wednesday,…]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Straus questions Abbott endorsement of House primary challenger
House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, on Friday questioned Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to endorse against a GOP member of the lower chamber, suggesting it could lead to a Democrat capturing the seat. Full Story
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![Texas House Speaker Joe Straus announces he won't seek re-election in 2018 at a press conference at the state Capitol on Oct…]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House revises sexual harassment policy following reports of flaws
The revised Texas House sexual harassment policy includes language that strengthens protections against retaliation and provides specific steps to report inappropriate behavior. It comes about two weeks after The Texas Tribune detailed flaws in the former policy that often left victims to fend for themselves. Full Story
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![State Rep. Charlie Geren, chairman of the House Administration Committee, talks to reporters on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017, after …]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
How a chaotic night in the Texas House paved the way for Speaker Straus
Angry outbursts. Abrupt resignations. A Texas House speaker fleeing his own chamber. While Joe Straus is voluntarily stepping down as speaker, the day many view as pivotal to putting him in that position of power was far less orderly. Full Story
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![(Left) House Speaker Tom Craddick at the House dais on May 25, 2007. (Right) House Speaker Joe Straus adjourns the House sin…]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: For Texas speakers, power doesn’t equal fame
If House Speaker Joe Straus decides he wants to run for statewide office, he's got a lot of work to do. Half of the state's voters don't have an opinion about the job he's been doing. Full Story
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Here's a look at who's interested in replacing Straus as House speaker
Despite all the focus on November, many in Texas politics are keeping a close eye on January. That's when the 150-member Texas House will pick its new House speaker. Full Story
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Analysis: The road to the Texas speaker’s office is longer than it looks
It's not hard to find predictions of what's going to happen in the race for Texas speaker now that Joe Straus is not running for another term. But nobody knows what's next — and they won't for at least a year. Full Story
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![The House Chamber at the Texas Capitol on August 16, 2017, the morning after the end of the special session.]()
Credit: Austin Price / The Texas Tribune -
What will Joe Straus do with his $10 million in unspent campaign funds?
State ethics laws grant elected officials wide latitude on how they use their political contributions while in office — meaning there's a lot outgoing House Speaker Joe Straus could do with his $10 million campaign war chest. Full Story
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Speaker Straus discusses why he decided it was time to step down
In an interview with The Texas Tribune, House Speaker Joe Straus discusses his surprise announcement that he won't seek re-election to the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Speaker Straus won't run for re-election (podcast)
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Ross and Aman about House Speaker Joe Straus' bombshell decision not to run for re-election, and what it means for the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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Straus earthquake could shake up Texas politics for years
The impact of House Speaker Joe Straus' departure from the Capitol can't be understated, according to one political scientist: "The political center of the state collapsed today." Full Story
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![Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, a San Antonio Republican, announced Wednesday he will not run for re-election.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: The far-reaching political repercussions of Speaker Straus’ exit
For the first time since 1993, there will be an open race for Texas House speaker. With current Speaker Joe Straus announcing his exit, expect a clear turn in the fight between the state's business and movement conservatives. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus questions members during a break in debate of House Bill 214 on August 8, 2017. The bill would lim…]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus says he will not seek re-election
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, a San Antonio Republican, announced Wednesday he will not run for re-election. He did not rule out running for higher office. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus announces to the Capitol press that he will not seek re-election in 2018, opening up the speaker's …]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Patrick, Straus direct Legislature to research Harvey, Alamo ahead of 2019 session
Straus assigned nearly every House committee at least one issue related to Hurricane Harvey to research in addition to topics normally under their oversight. Full Story
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![Speaker Straus hits the gavel as members vote no on an amendment on Senate Bill 1, the property tax bill, on Aug. 12, 2017.]()
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Patrick skeptical of need for new House committee on Texas economy
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick isn't sold on the new House Select Committee on Economic Competitiveness, which House Speaker Joe Straus recently formed to look at the factors that draw new business to Texas. Full Story
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![After two days of contentious debate and several bills passed, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick congratulates the Senate on what he says…]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
UT/TT Poll: Texas voters familiar with Cruz but not Democratic rival O’Rourke
With a year to go before the general election, incumbent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is much better known than Democratic rival Beto O'Rourke, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Analysis: Bathrooms, business and ballots
House Speaker Joe Straus prevailed in the legislative skirmishes over bathroom regulations; now he's got a fast-track House committee looking at "economic competitiveness." That could reframe the bathroom issue for 2018's elections. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus keeps watch on the chamber during debate on Senate Bill 6 on municipal annexation on Aug. 11, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Analysis: In the Texas House, winning eclipses party
Voting as a partisan bloc might let a majority party pick the next Texas Speaker of the House, but something like it has been tried before. It didn't work. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus emerges from a House Republican caucus meeting at the Reagan building in Austin on Aug. 15, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus welcomes challengers: “I don’t own this job”
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus brushed aside complaints that he controls the House and said he is confident that most of the members of the House will support him for a record-breaking sixth term in that post in January 2019. Full Story
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![State House Speaker Joe Straus joins Tribune CEO Evan Smith at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Qiling Wang for The Texas Tribune
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