Joe Straus - Challenge Against Tom Craddick

Challenge Against Tom Craddick

After witnessing his fellow Republicans lose three House seats in the November 2008 elections, Straus decided to run against then Speaker Tom Craddick of Midland, the senior Republican in the Texas House. Dissent against Craddick had been brewing in the Texas House. The latest round of disappointing election results hurt Craddick's standing with his Republican colleagues. Shortly after New Year's Day, eleven House Republican members, including the late Edmund Kuempel of Seguin, met in the Austin home of Representative Byron Cook of Corsicana (ten in person and one via webcam). Each wanted an alternative to Craddick. After four rounds of secret balloting, with state and local media hanging around outside in the neighbors' lawns, Straus emerged as their challenger to unseat the Speaker. Over the next several days, the group, dubbed by the media as the "Gang of 11", set out to garner the required minimum of 76 votes (of the 150 members) to achieve their mission. After several days of phone calls, e-mails, pledge cards and signature gathering, Joe Straus announced on Sunday, January 4, 2009, he had enough votes to win the job. By the following evening remaining opposition to Straus conceded. After securing his position as House Speaker, Straus proceeded to appoint Democrats to sixteen of the House's thirty-four chairmanship positions.

San Antonio Democrat Mike Villarreal said that Straus brought "the right temperament . After three sessions of Tom Craddick, the House was ready for a change."Frank Corte, Jr., a San Antonio Republican who had been committed to retaining Craddick as Speaker, said that Straus "has a different leadership style, there's no doubt about it. He has an indirect way of handling things. He doesn't weigh in heavily at first." Straus' rabbi, Barry H. Block, said "If people underestimated Joe, they'll stop now."

An aide said that Straus "doesn't like to label himself on social issues. . . . He considers himself pro-life, just not a proselytizing one. . . . He sees the big picture -- jobs, economy, education." Another Republican, the departing Leo Berman from Tyler, had indicated an intention to run for Speaker but withdrew and endorsed Warren Chisum, a Republican from Pampa, who unsuccessfully challenged Straus for the Speaker's gavel. McKinney Republican Ken Paxton also sought the position.