Rep. Dennis Bonnen
Talking about dreams, honesty and courage, the members of the Texas House unanimously elected Rep. Dennis Bonnen House speaker, making him one of the most powerful Republicans in the state.
Members of the House voted 147-0 in favor of Bonnen.
His election was expected after announcing he had secured the nomination less than a week after the November election. Bonnen, who has been a member of the House for more than 20 years, drew no opponents for the position. More than a half-dozen other candidates vying for the position dropped out in early November.
Basically, once Bonnen was in for Speaker, he went from zero to 60 in a heartbeat. The only question was whether someone would make an out-of-the-blue protest vote, or vote “Present”, for whatever the reason. Given the three current vacancies, the answer to that is a clear No. So congratulations, Speaker Bonnen. This is a good way to start.
In 2017, one of the most talked about bills in Texas would have required transgender people to use bathrooms matching the sex on their birth certificates, spurring a flood of protests at the capitol as civil rights groups and business leaders rallied against it. Though the bill did not pass, this year hardly anyone is talking about another push for it.
New Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen wants it to stay that way.
“I would be very discouraged if a distraction of that type derailed the opportunity of significant school finance reform or property tax reform,” the newly elected speaker told Hearst Newspapers.
[…]
Since [last session], [Lt. Gov. Dan] Patrick has said the battle over bathroom legislation is “settled.” The lawmaker who carried the bill in 2017, Republican Rep. Ron Simmons of Carrollton, lost his re-election. And [Gov. Greg] Abbott said while running for re-election that a bathroom bill is “not on my agenda” but declined to say whether he’d sign such a bill if it reached his desk.
I mean, we should all cast a wary eye at the reform proposals, but the sentiment is appreciated nonetheless. Dan Patrick wasn’t even in Austin for Opening Day, and boy howdy is the quiet nice. The bathroom bill may be on the back burner, but it will never truly go away as long as the horrible lying liars who have been pushing it continue to do so. The Trib has more.
So happy to see Strauss gone. And I’m also pleased that Bonnen recognizes that school finance/property tax relief is the NUMBER ONE issue. Even more pleased that he got applauded when he said that to the chamber. This is it….it’s go time. Git ‘er done.
Also, I agree with Kuff about Dan Patrick. If I never here about bathrooms again, it won’t be too soon.
Texas has real problems to solve. Maybe the progressives and the conservatives could just call a truce, default to the status quo on social policy, even just for a little while, so that we can focus on pocketbook issues for a change?
why bother voting democratic if those jokers are all going to vote for the same speaker?
time for some primarying …
Joel,
Dems weren’t going to get a Dem voted in as Speaker…..which Republican would you have preferred to see be named?
Agreement on a Speaker usually happens prior to the House meeting to vote. The Dems can potentially stop someone they don’t want as speaker, but can’t elect a Dem. Strauss was elected because the Dems voted with enough Republicans to give him a majority. The payback for that was Dems were given a few committee chairmanships.