Joe Straus
Joe Straus is a Jewish centrist Republican state Representative from Texas. He has been Speaker of the Texas State House of Representatives since January 13, 2009 and a state Representative since January 2005. His voting record has included support of pro-choice interests and opposition to free enterprise economics[1].
In late 2010, there was a movement among many conservative Republican citizens and political figures in Texas to replace Straus with a Speaker of the House who better upholds conservative ideals. 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." 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[2]. 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."[3]