Changes

To win the peakership, Straus, armed with [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] backing, defeated fellow Republican Tom Craddick of Midland, Texas, the senior member of the state House and its first ever Republican Speaker, having served from 2003 to 2009.

To win the peakership, Straus, armed with [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] backing, defeated fellow Republican Tom Craddick of Midland, Texas, the senior member of the state House and its first ever Republican Speaker, having served from 2003 to 2009.

ate 2010, there was a movement among some [[conservative]] Republican citizens and political figures in Texas to replace Straus with a Speaker who better upholds conservative ideals. State Republican Executive Committee member [[John Cook]] wrote in an [[E-mail|e-mail]] to a colleague: "We elected a house with Christian, conservative values. We now want a true Christian, conservative running it." However, opponents of Straus are on the record as saying the movement is not about the fact that Straus is [[Jewish]], but that the Speaker of the House should have [[pro-life]], pro-family values<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/09/christian-conservative-replace-jewish-speaker-texan-pols-say/</ref>. On January 11, 2011, the Texas State House of Representatives voted to re-elect Straus as Speaker of the House, 132-15. The 15 dissenters are known by [[Tea Party]] activists as the "Texas 15."<ref>http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/01/tea-party-adherents-hail-the-t.html</ref>

 

In the final weeks of 2010, a movement developed among some [[conservative]] Republican citizens and political figures in Texas to replace Straus as Speaker. State Republican Executive Committee member [[John Cook]] wrote in an [[E-mail|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 the Speaker is [[Jewish]], but that the Speaker should have [[pro-life]], pro-family values.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/09/christian-conservative-replace-jewish-speaker-texan-pols-say/</ref>.

 

On January 11, 2011, the Texas House reelected Speaker Straus, 132-15. The dissenters are known by [[Tea Party]] activists as the "Texas 15."<ref>http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/01/tea-party-adherents-hail-the-t.html</ref>

==References==

==References==

[[Category:Politics]]

[[Category:Politics]]

[[Category:Politicians]]

[[Category:Politicians]]