Speaker Craddick Ousted, Newspapers Report

Several newspapers in Texas Monday morning are reporting that the much-rumored defeat of Speaker of the House Tom Craddick (R-Midland) will occur when the Regular Session commences on January 13. 

According to the reports, the new speaker will be another Republican, Joe Straus of San Antonio, who emerged as the consensus candidate of those who were opposed to Craddick from both political parties. The speaker is formally chosen by the members of the chamber, but pledges are gathered by announced candidates ahead of the actual voting.

The speaker makes a great deal of difference in matters of public policy, including higher education, since the official largely determines important committee appointments and chairs. If the news reports are correct, there will likely be significant personnel shifts on key leadership posts.

Here's part of an article from the Dallas Morning News:

With a promise to end partisan clashes, newcomer and moderate Republican Joe Straus of San Antonio is poised to become the new Texas House speaker after toppling 40-year veteran Tom Craddick.

In a meteoric rise, the two-term lawmaker won overwhelming support from 72 Democrats and 16 Republicans who said they were seeking a less combative atmosphere in the Capitol. Straus released a list Sunday night of 88 lawmakers – out of the 150 House members – who have pledged to vote for him when the Legislature convenes on Jan. 13.

In nothing short of a palace intrigue, the affable Straus managed to become the consensus candidate of upstart Republicans while he worked furiously to attract an almost insurmountable bloc of Democrats. He all but cemented his candidacy in a whirlwind 48 hours.

Straus showed his winning hand just minutes before the three-term speaker was due to meet with his confederates and map out a strategy to take his fourth term.

Craddick of Midland, who has been speaker since 2003, instead withdrew shortly after Straus released his list. But Craddick continued the meeting at a downtown Austin restaurant with his supporters, who said they would still fight for a more experienced, conservative Republican as speaker.

They emerged from their meeting saying 55 Craddick supporters would be backing Rep. John Smithee of Amarillo and hoped to win over Straus supporters with pressure from GOP grass-roots groups.

"There will be tremendous pressure on Republicans to come back to where they belong," said Will Hartnett, R-Dallas.