The Texas House has a new leader: Lubbock Republican Dustin Burrows was selected as the house speaker on Tuesday, just hours after the legislature kicked off its 89th session in Austin.
While Burrows got the votes needed to win the powerful leadership position, he wasn't the favorite for the role among his fellow Republicans.
From Lubbock, KTTZ's Brad Burt has more on Burrows' decade in the chamber...and what's ahead for the new speaker.
Burrows was first elected to represent Texas House District 83 in 2014. He served as a GOP caucus chair before 2019, when he became mixed up in a controversy with then-speaker Dennis Bonnen. The pair were recorded by a conservative activist, offering media credentials in exchange for politically targeting 10 fellow Republicans.
Throughout his career in the House, he's supported conservative priorities in the legislature - and backed controversial local efforts that made Lubbock a so-called “sanctuary city for the unborn."
Burrows chaired the committee that investigated the Robb Elementary Shooting in Uvalde and served on a committee investigating last year's historic Panhandle wildfires.
Top Republicans, like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, had opposed Burrows’ run for Speaker. In a statement Tuesday, Patrick said he's now counting on Burrows to work with him and get conservative priorities passed this session.
Northeast Texas Republicans were divided on the vote. Brent Money of Greenville, Shelley Luther of Tom Bean, and Candy Noble of Lucas voted against Burrows. Gary VanDeaver of New Boston, Cole Hefner of Mount Pleasant, Jeff Leach of Plano, and Keith Bell of Forney voted for Burrows.
