East Texas Lawmaker Challenges House Speaker

AUSTIN (AP/Staff) — Texas House Speaker Joe Straus will face at least one challenge to his leadership next year. Republican Representative Brian Hughes from Mineola, pictured here, sent a letter to fellow lawmakers on Tuesday announcing his intent to challenge Straus. The speaker is the most powerful lawmaker in the state, controlling who chairs what committees, and by default, which bills come up for a vote.

Straus took power after forming a coalition between moderate Republicans and Democrats when the Texas House was almost evenly divided. After tea party members helped form a 101-49 supermajority in 2010, conservative Republicans challenged Straus but lost. Since then conservative groups have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to challenge Straus, whom they consider too moderate to run the Texas House. Straus insists he represents the state’s interests.