AUSTIN, Texas — Houston Democrat Senfronia Thompson told reporters at the Texas Capitol on Friday that she has lined up a majority of the Texas House behind her bid for speaker, putting the veteran lawmaker on track to lead the chamber when the next session opens in January.
If she wins, Thompson, 87, would be the first woman to hold the gavel and the first Black member to do so. She won her first legislative race in 1972, and no woman or Black lawmaker in Texas has served in the Legislature longer.
Dozens of Democratic members and legislators-elect stood with her at the event, along with at least three Republican state representatives, Rep. Drew Darby of San Angelo, Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth and Rep. Todd Hunter of Corpus Christi. Roughly two hours after the event, Thompson put out a list of 90 House members she said had pledged their support.
Her path cleared after Eddie Morales Jr., an Eagle Pass Democrat and the only other contender, ended his bid and endorsed her. The vote is set for Jan. 12, when the 90th legislative session gavels in, and the winner must collect 76 of the 150 votes in the chamber.
Democrats swept every statewide office on the Nov. 3 ballot and won their first House majority since 2003. Gina Hinojosa of Austin was elected governor and Vikki Goodwin of Houston won the lieutenant governor race, so a Thompson win would put women in all three of the state’s top leadership posts for the first time.
Thompson would replace Lubbock Republican Dustin Burrows, who led the House for one term. Under Burrows, the Republican majority barred minority-party members from chairing committees. Thompson said she would bring back committee chairs from both parties and pledged that she would not punish members who opposed her.
The last Democrat to serve as speaker was Pete Laney, who led the House from 1993 to 2001.
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