1. LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP
GOVT 2306, Module 7

2. Three Most Important Texans
The governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the Texas House are far and away the most powerful leaders in Texas politics.
Who are these folks?
Gov. Greg Abbott,
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick,
Speaker Joe Straus

3. Lieutenant governor
The lieutenant governor is the foremost political leader of the Texas Senate. He or she is elected statewide to serve a four-year term. Republican Dan Patrick, a former radio talk show host from Houston, holds the job today. He won election in 2014, defeating incumbent David Dewhurst in the Republican primary. Patrick enjoys Tea Party and religious conservative support.
Patrick’s legislative priorities are tax cuts, border security, school vouchers, limits on state spending, and more liberal gun laws.

4. Speaker of the House
The speaker of the House is the foremost political leader of the Texas House. He is a member of the House who is elected by his fellow members to be speaker. With 150 members of the House, the speaker candidate who can line up 76 supporters wins the office. Today, Republican Joe Straus of San Antonio holds the job.
Voting for speaker of the Texas House has never been along party lines.

5. Speaker Selection
Candidates for speaker gather signed pledge cards from other members. The speaker is elected by the entire House, not just the members of the largest party.

6. Straus Ousts Craddick
Straus won the job in 2009 by defeating Tom Craddick, the incumbent Republican speaker. Craddick had alienated all the Democrats and many Republicans with his dictatorial manner.
Because the speaker is elected, he must keep a majority of the members of the House happy to keep the job.
Tom Craddick, R. Midland,

7. Straus Victory Coalition
In 2009, Straus was part of a group of 11 moderate Republicans looking for a candidate to support for speaker. The group decided to back Straus. Most House Democrats then jumped on the bandwagon and Straus soon had enough pledges to win.
In 2009, the Texas House included 76 Republicans and 74 Democrats. That gave the Democrats influence.

8. Final vote
The actual vote for speaker, which takes place at the beginning of a regular legislative session, is usually unanimous because most members don’t want to be on the speaker’s bad side.
The actual vote for speaker is done publicly; there are no secret ballots.

9. Republican in Name Only
Tea Party v. Joe Straus
Tea Party activists want to oust Joe Straus as speaker. They tried and failed in 2011, 2013, and in The Tea Party opposes Straus because he won with Democratic support, his family has gambling interests, he is too moderate, and, for some, he is Jewish.
Republican in Name Only
What is a RINO?

10. Scott Turner ran for Speaker in 2015
Tea Party favorite Scott Turner ran for speaker against Straus in Even though Empower Texas promised to back primary challengers against Republicans who supported Straus, the speaker won reelection easily (Three seats were vacant.)

11. The Speaker’s Priorities
Speaker Straus’s legislative priorities are education, water development, and transportation.

12. Quiz
Which of the following officials is NOT elected statewide?
Speaker of the House
Lieutenant governor
Governor
All of the above officials are elected statewide.
The answer is A.

13. Powers of the leadership

14. Overview
The speaker and lieutenant governor are two of the most powerful public officials in the state, exercising extraordinary authority in their respective chambers. The speaker and lieutenant governor control many of the legislative procedures of the Texas House and Texas Senate.
Patrick and Straus

15. Leadership Powers Assign bills to committee
Determine which bills come up for debate
Preside over the floor
Serve on and appoint members to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB)
Serve on the Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB)
Appoint committee chairs
Appoint most committee members
So, if the speaker or lieutenant governor is mad at you, what can he do to get back at you?
Put you on unimportant committees and block your legislative proposals.

16. Limits of Power
The speaker and lieutenant governor base their authority on their ability to keep most members of the legislature happy. If enough members are unhappy with the speaker or lieutenant governor, they can face trouble from the membership, as Speaker Craddick discovered. House members have the authority to change leadership. Although senators cannot replace the lieutenant governor, they can strip the lieutenant governor of authority.

17. Leadership Teams
Both the speaker and the lieutenant governor have a corps of supporters in the chamber that makes up their leadership team. The members of the leadership team advise the speaker or lieutenant governor and work to organize the full chamber to support the leadership's position. The speaker and lieutenant governor appoint the members of their leadership teams to chair the most important committees. The speaker and lieutenant governor also punish opponents by putting them on committees unrelated to their legislative goals.
Rule of politics: Reward your friends; screw over your enemies.

18. What You Have Learned
Who are the most important figures in the Texas legislature and how are they chosen?
Why are both the governor and the lieutenant governor weakened?
What powers do the speaker and lieutenant governor exercise?