To paraphrase from PinkDome, the upcoming special session just got more special: State Rep. Senfronia Thompson of Houston has announced her intent to run for House Speaker. Here’s the Quorum Report, which is the first on the scene:
This afternoon, Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) announced her candidacy for Speaker of the Texas House. She has filed her papers with the Texas Ethics Commission and expects to begin collecting pledge cards soon.
From her statement (Word doc) titled “A Woman Seeks More House Work”:, “Representative Thompson stated that her decision to run for Speaker is based on her personal experience during the past three and half years. Bi-partisanship has disappeared and the result has been harmful not only to our schoolchildren and taxpayers, but to the House as a whole. Republicans and Democrats in the House have been punished for voting their districts and their consciences. Some Republican colleagues have been defeated by the Speaker and his supporters for voting against a voucher system that would do injury to their own school districts, Thompson pointed out.”
“I can no longer stand by quietly and watch such damage be done to this Institution without complaining loudly and vigorously,” Ms. Thompson reiterated. ” I urge my fellow members, Democrat and Republican, to join me to restore dignity, fairness, balance and progress to the House of Representatives. The legislators who preceded us and those who will follow us deserve to know that in 2007, the House will declare a clear, loud “NO” to partisanship and Big Lobby power and said yes to the voters and children of Texas.”
Well, hot damn. I’ll have to make some calls in the morning to see if I can learn more, but I’ll venture out on a limb now and suggest that she wouldn’t do this unless she thought she had a decent shot at winning. I’ll be in the corner, cheering loudly for her.
South Texas Chisme also reacts, as I imagine many other bloggers will shortly. Rep. Thompson’s full statement is beneath the fold, but in case you don’t feel like clicking the More link, consider this: Thompson would be the first speaker from Houston since 1939. In my opinion, that’s too long.
UPDATE: Here’s the Chron and the DMN, neither of which add much other than a claim by Craddick that he’s got 100 pledge cards.
A Woman Seeks More House Work
Thompson Announces for Speaker of the House Senfronia Thompson
HOUSTON, TX 713/651-9353
Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) has filed papers declaring her intention to run for Speaker of the House. Thompson and confirmed that she will begin collecting pledge cards for Speaker’s race.
Mrs. Thompson is the first woman to seek the top House office. Thompson is the longest serving woman and longest serving African-American in Texas Legislative history. She and former Speaker Pete Laney are the only remaining House members of the Reform Class of ‘73, the state’s largest freshman class ever, who were elected following the Sharpstown Scandal. That class ushered in a wave of reforms on open records, open meetings, ethics and women’s rights.
If elected, she would be the first speaker from Houston since 1939. Harris County makes up one-sixth of the Texas House.
“I promise that I will serve the House in a bipartisan manner, allowing my fellow members to vote their districts, their hearts and their consciences. The celebrated bi-partisan nature of the Texas House came from Speakers allowing members to vote their districts.”
Thompson said that the 150 House Districts are all different, and each member should be free to vote in the best interest of their district. Only when the membership is free to vote for their constituents will the House function properly again and be able to solve big issues like school finance.
“In addition, I also ask that my fellow members join me in working with Lt. Governor Dewhurst and the Senate to craft fair and balanced legislation that will treat all children of Texas fairly and give them a better shot at the future. Also, I would extend this treatment to our Texas taxpayers,” Thompson continued.
Representative Thompson stated that her decision to run for Speaker is based on her personal experience during the past three and half years. Bi-partisanship has disappeared and the result has been harmful not only to our schoolchildren and taxpayers, but to the House as a whole. Republicans and Democrats in the House have been punished for voting their districts and their consciences. Some Republican colleagues have been defeated by the Speaker and his supporters for voting against a voucher system that would do injury to their own school districts, Thompson pointed out.
“I can no longer stand by quietly and watch such damage be done to this Institution without complaining loudly and vigorously,” Ms. Thompson reiterated. ” I urge my fellow members, Democrat and Republican, to join me to restore dignity, fairness, balance and progress to the House of Representatives. The legislators who preceded us and those who will follow us deserve to know that in 2007, the House will declare a clear, loud “NO” to partisanship and Big Lobby power and said yes to the voters and children of Texas.”
Her legislative career included such legislation as the James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act, bans on racial profiling, drug courts, alimony, dozens of child support reforms, contraceptive parity laws, the state minimum wage, judicial reforms and numerous insurance, fraud, credit, and local reforms. Ms. Thompson is a strong believer in public education that is evident by having been a public school teacher, received an undergraduate degree and three postgraduate degrees from Texas’ public universities. Her Amicus brief on public school financing was cited by the Texas Supreme Court majority when they declared Texas’ old public school finance system unconstitutional. In 1977, Rep. Thompson used her own funds to successfully convince the United States Justice Department to sue Texas for discrimination in financing, hiring and admissions at Texas traditionally Black public universities, creating a fund to improve facilities, libraries and faculty. Thompson has garnered accolades and awards from the Family Law Section of the Texas State Bar, Nation magazine (one of 8 Legislators in the country), Texas Monthly (one of the Top 10 Legislators), the County and District Attorney’s Association, the bipartisan Texas Women’s Political Caucus (Woman of the Year), and scores of other groups. Texas Silver-Haired Legislature honored her for work on the personal needs allowance which allows nursing home residents to keep a little of the pensions or Social Security to pay for personal items like toiletries, shoes, robes, radios, reading materials and haircuts. “I am grateful to have been the recipient of the Rosa Parks Award from the Texas Legislative Black Caucus.” Thompson added, “last session, one of the greatest honors I have ever received was bestowed upon me by the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, the Matt Garcia Award.”
Thompson served as chair of the Judicial Affairs from 1991 until 2000 when Rep. Tom Craddick was elected Speaker; at the time, Judicial Affairs was one of the Legislature’s most active committees. Previously, the committee was named the Judiciary Committee and the Rules and Resolutions Committee. In addition, she has chaired or co-chaired several other special and select committees and subcommittees. She previously served four terms on the powerful Appropriations Committee and two terms on the agenda-setting Calendars and three terms on the agenda-setting Local and Consent Calendars Committees.
Are there enough bitter lame duck republicans to deny Craddick?
My current thinking is that if Perry gets something solid on school financing, re-election is his to lose, but that if he botches it, he’s gone. I’d love to see this push him off the seat.
OTOH, I’m sure Dems would get blamed for the failure, which shouldn’t have traction, but might.
I have loved Senfronia Thompson since her impassioned plea to the Leg that we resist the impulse to codify hate within our state constitution. I believe it will go down as one of the great speeches in support of the cause of expanding civil rights until they cover all American citizens. I hope she succeeds.
Is there an update on her run for Speaker?
Sanskritg – Does this answer your question?
Basically, she’s committed to this. What happens depends in large part on the November election.