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Isaac calls for GOP caucus on speaker race
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CopyAs the race heats up for the seat of Speaker of the House, Hays County's Rep.-Elect Jason Isaac announced last week that he supports holding a caucus to select a Republican candidate for the speaker's seat.
Isaac has thus far resisted pressures to publicly pledge his support to a speaker candidate, saying he needed time to get up to speed on the issues, remaining neutral even after the Hays County GOP precinct chairs passed a resolution urging Isaac to support anyone but Straus in the speaker's race.
"Many of my constituents have contacted me expressing their support for a caucus meeting, and I agree that this is the best venue to discuss the speaker's race," Isaac said. "This will give us an opportunity to talk candidly about our thoughts and concerns and ultimately unite behind the best Republican candidate."
When the Texas legislature convenes on Jan. 11, one of its first tasks will be selecting a Speaker to preside over the House. Incumbent Speaker Joe Straus, who won the seat two years ago with crossover support from Democrats, says he easily has the votes he needs to win a second term as speaker.
But following overwhelming GOP victories at the November polls, some Republicans say that the house should be led by a stauncher conservative. Representatives Warren Chisum (R-Pampa) and Ken Pax-ton (R-McKinney) are challenging Straus for the speaker's seat. Chisum has successfully called for a caucus on Jan, 10, which
could result in the speaker being chosen by a majority of the 101 Republican House members, and shutting Democrats out of the equation.
One former six-term representative, Ray-ford Price, who won the speaker's seat in 1972 with crossover support from Republicans, sent a letter to House members opposing the caucus selection, noting that such a system has never been used in the five decades that he's observed or participated in speaker's races.
"This coming session there will be 101 Republican and 49 Democrat members," Price wrote. "Under this caucus proposal, 51 Republican votes in the Republican caucus would have the ridiculous effect of electing the next Speaker even though 99 members may prefer someone else as Speaker."
The coming session promises to be challenging, with a monumental budget shortfall that could reach as high as $25 billion, a challenging redistricting mandate and thorny immigration issues facing the 82nd Legislature.
"While facing so many difficult issues this session, we will need to work together under strong conservative leadership in order to accomplish all we can for our state," Isaac said. "I hope that this caucus meeting will help to unify the members and put us on the right path towards fulfilling our conservative goals. The voters have placed an incredible amount of trust with Republicans in the State Legislature this session and we must live up to their expectations."
Copyright 2011 The Free Press, Buda, Texas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.
© 2011 The Free Press Buda, Texas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.
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