Changes

In the final weeks of 2010, a movement developed among some [[conservative]] Republican citizens and political figures to replace Straus as Speaker. State Republican Executive Committee member John Cook wrote in an [[e-mail]] to a colleague: "We elected a house with [[Christian]], conservative values. We now want a true Christian, conservative running it." The dissident conservatives stressed that their opposition to Straus is not because he is [[Jewish]] but that the Speaker should have [[pro-life]], pro-family values.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/09/christian-conservative-replace-jewish-speaker-texan-pols-say/</ref>

In the final weeks of 2010, a movement developed among some [[conservative]] Republican citizens and political figures to replace Straus as Speaker. State Republican Executive Committee member John Cook wrote in an [[e-mail]] to a colleague: "We elected a house with [[Christian]], conservative values. We now want a true Christian, conservative running it." The dissident conservatives stressed that their opposition to Straus is not because he is [[Jewish]] but that the Speaker should have [[pro-life]], pro-family values.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/09/christian-conservative-replace-jewish-speaker-texan-pols-say/</ref>

On January 11, 2011, the Texas House nevertheless reelected Speaker Straus, 132-15. The dissenters, including [[Bryan Hughes]] of Mineola, [[Warren Chisum]] of Pampa, and [[Ken Paxton]] of McKinney, Texas (who in 2015 became the Texas attorney general and is seeking a second term in 2018), have been termed by [[Tea Party]] activists as the "Texas 15."<ref>http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/01/tea-party-adherents-hail-the-t.html</ref>

On January 11, 2011, the Texas House nevertheless reelected Speaker Straus, 132–15. The dissenters, including [[Bryan Hughes]] of Mineola, [[Warren Chisum]] of Pampa, and [[Ken Paxton]] of McKinney, Texas (who in 2015 became the Texas attorney general and is seeking a second term in 2018), have been termed by [[Tea Party]] activists as the "Texas 15."<ref>http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/01/tea-party-adherents-hail-the-t.html</ref>

On October 25, 2017, Straus announced that he will not seek reelection in 2018 to the state House and hence will vacate the Speaker's office.<ref>Price, Bob (October 25, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/10/25/texas-house-speaker-straus-will-not-seek-re-election/ Texas House Speaker Straus Will Not Seek Re-Election]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 26, 2017.</ref> He said that his record five terms in the office has been a resounding success. No opponent had declared intentions to oppose Straus in the Republican primary scheduled for March 6, 2018. Already in the running for the Speakership were John Zerwas, a Straus loyalist from Richmond in suburban Fort Bend County near [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], and state Representative Phillip Stephen "Phil" King of Weatherford in Parker County west of [[Fort Worth]], who was first elected to the legislature in 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-legislature/2017/09/22/weatherford-lawmaker-phil-king-announces-bid-texas-house-speaker|title=Weatherford lawmaker Phil King announces bid for Texas House Speaker|publisher=''Dallas Morning News''|author=Gromer Jeffers, Jr.|date=September 22, 2017|accessdate=September 27, 2017}}</ref> Dennis Bonnen of Galveston County ultimately was chosen Speaker by a consensus of the House members. The Speaker is  elected by the whole membership of the House, rather than nominated by the majority party caucus. This allows a Democrat-Moderate Republican coalition to dominate the House.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2017/10/25/speaker-house-joe-straus-wont-seek-reelection/|title=Texas House Speaker Joe Straus says he will not seek re-election: Straus, a San Antonio Republican, announced Wednesday he will not run for re-election. He did not rule out running for higher office|author=Matthew Watkins|publisher=''The Texas Tribune''|date=October 25, 2017|accessdate=October 26, 2017}}</ref> Also bowing out in 2018 after eight terms in the Texas House is a Straus lieutenant, [[Byron Cook]] of Corsicana in Navarro County in north central Texas, who barely won re-nomination over a conservative challenger in 2016, Thomas McNutt, heir of the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana. Cook played the leading role in killing the bathroom legislation in 2017 by keeping the bill from obtaining a committee vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kxan.com/2017/10/25/rep-byron-cook-wont-seek-re-election/|title=Rep. Byron Cook won't see reelection|publisher=KXAN.com|accessdate=October 26, 2017}}</ref> In 2018, however, the conservative McNutt lost the runoff campaign for representative to another Moderate Republican, Cody Harris. 57-43 percent.

On October 25, 2017, Straus announced that he will not seek reelection in 2018 to the state House and hence will vacate the Speaker's office.<ref>Price, Bob (October 25, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/10/25/texas-house-speaker-straus-will-not-seek-re-election/ Texas House Speaker Straus Will Not Seek Re-Election]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 26, 2017.</ref> He said that his record five terms in the office has been a resounding success. No opponent had declared intentions to oppose Straus in the Republican primary scheduled for March 6, 2018. Already in the running for the Speakership were John Zerwas, a Straus loyalist from Richmond in suburban Fort Bend County near [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], and state Representative Phillip Stephen "Phil" King of Weatherford in Parker County west of [[Fort Worth]], who was first elected to the legislature in 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-legislature/2017/09/22/weatherford-lawmaker-phil-king-announces-bid-texas-house-speaker|title=Weatherford lawmaker Phil King announces bid for Texas House Speaker|publisher=''Dallas Morning News''|author=Gromer Jeffers, Jr.|date=September 22, 2017|accessdate=September 27, 2017}}</ref> Dennis Bonnen of Galveston County ultimately was chosen Speaker by a consensus of the House members. The Speaker is  elected by the whole membership of the House, rather than nominated by the majority party caucus. This allows a Democrat-Moderate Republican coalition to dominate the House.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2017/10/25/speaker-house-joe-straus-wont-seek-reelection/|title=Texas House Speaker Joe Straus says he will not seek re-election: Straus, a San Antonio Republican, announced Wednesday he will not run for re-election. He did not rule out running for higher office|author=Matthew Watkins|publisher=''The Texas Tribune''|date=October 25, 2017|accessdate=October 26, 2017}}</ref> Also bowing out in 2018 after eight terms in the Texas House is a Straus lieutenant, [[Byron Cook]] of Corsicana in Navarro County in north central Texas, who barely won re-nomination over a conservative challenger in 2016, Thomas McNutt, heir of the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana. Cook played the leading role in killing the bathroom legislation in 2017 by keeping the bill from obtaining a committee vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kxan.com/2017/10/25/rep-byron-cook-wont-seek-re-election/|title=Rep. Byron Cook won't see reelection|publisher=KXAN.com|accessdate=October 26, 2017}}</ref> In 2018, however, the conservative McNutt lost the runoff campaign for representative to another Moderate Republican, Cody Harris. 57-43 percent.

Straus did not seek statewide office in 2018. He was repeatedly at odds with Lieutenant Governor [[Dan Patrick]], who as the presiding office of the Texas State Senate pushed for a bold [[conservative]] agenda focusing on moral issues. Straus has nearly $10 million in his campaign treasury.<ref>Gilbert Garcia, "Straus flush with cash if he seeks new post," ''San Antonio Express-News'', October 27, 2017, p. A2.</ref>

Straus did not seek statewide office in 2018. He was repeatedly at odds with Lieutenant Governor [[Dan Patrick]], who as the presiding office of the Texas State Senate pushed for a bold [[conservative]] agenda focusing on moral issues. Straus has nearly $10 million in his campaign treasury.<ref>Gilbert Garcia, "Straus flush with cash if he seeks new post," ''San Antonio Express-News'', October 27, 2017, p. A2.</ref>

On January 27, 2018, the sixty-two elected members of the Texas State Republican Executive Committee<ref>The sixty-two members do not include state party chairman [[James Dickey]] of Spicewood, west of [[Austin]], and the vice chairman. Therefore the committee has a total of sixty-four members.</ref> voted by just over the required two thirds vote, 44-19, to [[censure]] Straus for the "blocking of much of the conservative agenda advanced in 2017 by [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]]. [[Mark Dorazio]], the former interim Bexar County GOP chairman and a member of the state executive committee, said that Straus had subverted the party's platform and kept the state from becoming the conservative "shining city on the hill", as [[Ronald W. Reagan]] often spoke.<ref>Jonathan Tilove, "State GOP executive panel censures Straus: House speaker didn't go along with agenda," ''San Antonio Express-News'', January 28, 2018, p. A6.</ref>  

On January 27, 2018, the sixty-two elected members of the Texas State Republican Executive Committee<ref>The sixty-two members do not include state party chairman [[James Dickey]] of Spicewood, west of [[Austin]], and the vice chairman. Therefore the committee has a total of sixty-four members.</ref> voted by just over the required two thirds vote, 44–19, to [[censure]] Straus for the "blocking of much of the conservative agenda advanced in 2017 by [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]]. [[Mark Dorazio]], the former interim Bexar County GOP chairman and a member of the state executive committee, said that Straus had subverted the party's platform and kept the state from becoming the conservative "shining city on the hill", as [[Ronald W. Reagan]] often spoke.<ref>Jonathan Tilove, "State GOP executive panel censures Straus: House speaker didn't go along with agenda," ''San Antonio Express-News'', January 28, 2018, p. A6.</ref>  

Despite the snub among conservatives in his own San Antonio, community leaders across West Texas hailed Straus' leadership of the state House. Moderate Republican Mayor Dan Pope of [[Lubbock]] said that Straus represented rural Texas "admirably. His common-sense leadership in support of business and education - often in the face of criticism - will be his legacy.”<ref name=laj/> Straus championed the request of [[Texas Tech University]] to establish a school of veterinary medicine in [[Amarillo]] despite opposition coming from within the GOP. Texas Tech System Chancellor Robert Lloyd Duncan, a Moderate Republican former state senator, described Straus as "an advocate for higher education and its importance in making our state better. He is also a common-sense legislator who recognizes state needs and works to address them. His support was instrumental in the Texas Tech University System receiving funding to pursue a dental school and school of veterinary medicine. We will miss his pragmatic leadership.”<ref name=laj>{{cite web|url=http://www.lubbockonline.com/news/2017-10-25/speaker-straus-commended-keeping-west-texas-policy-decisions|title=Speaker Straus commended for keeping West Texas in policy decisions|author=Matt Dotray|publisher=''The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|date=October 25, 2017|accessdate=February 16, 2018}}</ref> State Representative John T. Smithee of Amarillo called Straus "a critical ally" for the needs of West Texas.<ref name=laj/>

Despite the snub among conservatives in his own San Antonio, community leaders across West Texas hailed Straus' leadership of the state House. Moderate Republican Mayor Dan Pope of [[Lubbock]] said that Straus represented rural Texas "admirably. His common-sense leadership in support of business and education - often in the face of criticism - will be his legacy.”<ref name=laj/> Straus championed the request of [[Texas Tech University]] to establish a school of veterinary medicine in [[Amarillo]] despite opposition coming from within the GOP. Texas Tech System Chancellor Robert Lloyd Duncan, a Moderate Republican former state senator, described Straus as "an advocate for higher education and its importance in making our state better. He is also a common-sense legislator who recognizes state needs and works to address them. His support was instrumental in the Texas Tech University System receiving funding to pursue a dental school and school of veterinary medicine. We will miss his pragmatic leadership.”<ref name=laj>{{cite web|url=http://www.lubbockonline.com/news/2017-10-25/speaker-straus-commended-keeping-west-texas-policy-decisions|title=Speaker Straus commended for keeping West Texas in policy decisions|author=Matt Dotray|publisher=''The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|date=October 25, 2017|accessdate=February 16, 2018}}</ref> State Representative John T. Smithee of Amarillo called Straus "a critical ally" for the needs of West Texas.<ref name=laj/>