AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, was voted as next Texas House Speaker after a runoff on Tuesday as the 89th legislative session kicked off Tuesday.
State Rep. Ana-María Rodríguez Ramos, D – Richardson, State Rep. David Cook, R – Mansfield, and State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R – Lubbock, were all nominated for the position by their colleagues.
Several members spoke to the chamber in favor of all three nominees. Each nominee is allowed to have three speeches each in favor of them before the entire chamber takes a vote. Nominees will need 76 votes to secure the vote.
After the first ballot, none of the candidates had enough votes to win. So members voted again with only the top two candidates, Cook and Burrows, on the ballot.
The chamber continued to vote until one nominee got 76 votes. Burrows got 85 votes clearing the 76-vote threshold to become the speaker.
The House of Representatives was busting at the seams Tuesday afternoon as all 150 lawmakers and their families crowded in for the ceremonial swearing-in of the 89th legislative session.
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