Texas Republicans Score Key Congressional Committee Chairs

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Republican representatives from Texas, including one from the Austin area, will serve as chairs of four consequential committees in the new GOP-led US House of Representatives.

(Full story HERE.)
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Texan Prospective Committee Chairs Urge Colleagues To Get on With House Session

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Texans are slated to chair some of the most influential committees in this congressional session. But without a speaker of the House, they can’t take their gavels. And it’s getting on their nerves.

“Everything flows from the speaker being elected. We can’t even get sworn in. I can’t start my committee. We’re held hostage until we get this thing resolved,” said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, who is slated to lead the House Foreign Affairs Committee and lead the party’s investigations into the Biden administration’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.

(Full story HERE.)
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McCarthy Wins House Speaker Nomination, Some Texan Legislators Oppose

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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy won his party's nomination for House Speaker, and will be House Majority Leader if he can't get the votes in January but he won with some pushback from Texas conservatives.

During the House Republican Conference meeting Tuesday to pick its leadership for the next Congress, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, nominated Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Arizona, as an alternative candidate for speaker in a direct challenge to McCarthy, according to a source familiar with the secret ballot voting process. U.S. Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Victoria, seconded the nomination. Both members belong to the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, which has long challenged the status quo among the Republican conference.

McCarthy must still win 218 votes in the full House of Representatives on January 3rd to become Speaker.

(Full story HERE.)
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Progressives Angered Over US House Leaders' Support of "Moderate" Cuellar In Runoff Election

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Texas election officials have still not declared a winner in the state’s 28th congressional district, where incumbent Democratic congressman Henry Cuellar leads progressive lawyer Jessica Cisneros by 175 votes out of roughly 45,000 ballots cast.

But as progressives wait to see who will win the runoff race, they cannot help but think of what might have been if House Democratic leaders had not come to Cuellar’s assistance. Cuellar secured the endorsements of the top three House Democrats, and the congressman’s campaign was also propped up by millions of dollars in super Pac spending aimed at attacking Cisneros.

(Full story HERE.)
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Republican Leading In Special US House Election

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House Republicans might not have to wait until November to chip away at Democrats’ majority.

Internal party polling conducted this month shows the GOP has a real shot at flipping former Democratic Rep. Filemon Vela’s South Texas seat in the upcoming June special election. Republican Mayra Flores led Democrat Dan Sanchez by 5 points in a late April survey — and President Joe Biden’s job approval was underwater by 14 points in a district he carried by 4 points in 2020.

(Full story HERE.)
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Wray, Harrison Advance To Runoff For State House Seat

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Former state Rep. John Wray, R-Waxahachie, is advancing to a runoff against fellow Republican Brian Harrison in Wray's bid to reclaim his old seat in District 10.

With all precincts reporting Tuesday night, Wray finished with 36% of the vote, 5 percentage points behind Harrison, who won 41%. Harrison is the former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under Pres. Donald Trump.

The sole Democratic candidate, Pierina Otiniano, finished a distant third with 11%.

(Full story here.)
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#Texas Lawmakers Vow Support For House Staffer Drugged By Lobbyist

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Texas lawmakers are rallying in support of a female Capitol staffer who recently accused a lobbyist of drugging her during an off-site meeting.

The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed it was investigating the incident over the weekend, as first reported by the Austin American-Statesman. In the days since, lawmakers have vowed to support the woman, and, in some cases, cut ties with the lobbying firm at the center of the allegations.

House Speaker Dade Phelan has promised to establish an email hotline for members, staffers and Capitol visitors to report any accusations of sexual misconduct. 

House members will be required to advertise the email account on a sign in their offices.

(Full story here.)
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Lobbyist Allegedly Drugged Female State House Staffer

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Authorities are investigating allegations by a Capitol staffer that she was drugged with a date-rape drug by a lobbyist during a meeting downtown, Texas Department of Public Safety officials confirmed to KVUE Senior Reporter Tony Plohetski on Saturday.

DPS spokesman Travis Considine said he was not able to provide specifics, including where and when the incident allegedly happened. 

Officials also said they were not yet prepared to name the lobbyist, who has not been arrested and does not yet face charges, and to protect her identity, also would not disclose any additional information about the staffer.

(Full story here.)
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Bills Seek To Ban Testimony From Hypnosis

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Senate Bill 281 and House Bill 1002 aim to ban evidence gleaned through the use of hypnosis from being introduced as evidence in a criminal trial.

So-called hypnotically-refreshed testimony is inadmissible in court in at least 21 other states.

(Full story here.)
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State Rep. Swanson Files Bill To Recognize Pornography As A Public Health Hazard

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A state legislator has filed a bill that would recognize pornography as a “public health hazard.”

The bill, filed by State Rep. Valoree Swanson (R-Spring), calls for a push for education and research to deal with the onerous influences of pornography.

House Concurrent Resolution 2 says Texas citizens are “exposed to sexually explicit content through a wide range of media” every day in the state. It also adds that some people who are exposed to porn are not yet teenagers.

"Besides promoting unhealthy sexual expectations, the adult entertainment industry produces media that objectify

women and children as well as depict rape and abuse; by associating violence with sexual gratification, these materials perpetuate the demand for sex trafficking, prostitution, child pornography, and

sexual abuse images," reads the resolution.

Swanson submitted a bill with nearly the same language is the last Legislative session. House Bill 781 but it died in the public health committee without going to a floor vote.

Swanson won a third term in the House in November, 2020. As of June 2017, She was a member of the Texas Freedom Caucus, a conservative legislative caucus in the state House. 

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Rep. Drew Springer Defeats Salon Owner Luther For State Senate Seat

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State Rep. Drew Springer has defeated Dallas salon owner Shelly Luther for an open state senate seat in a district 30 runoff.

The Muenster, Texas Republican won Saturday's election 56% to Luther's 43%. Springer received 32,599 votes, while Luther garnered 25,146.

“As your next senator, I will continue advancing the conservative priorities of our district like reducing property taxes, securing the border, and standing up for our law enforcement and first responders who keep our communities safe,” Springer said in a Facebook post.

With a consistent lead throughout the night, Springer declared victory at 8:30 p.m.

The special election was held to replace State Sen. Pat Fallon. Fallon was elected to Congress in Texas' 4th Congressional District, a seat vacated by John Ratcliffe when Pres. Trump appointed him Director of National Intelligence, according to NBCDFW-TV. Springer and Luther were the top vote-getters in a September special election contested by six candidates.

Early in the night, Governor Greg Abbott tweeted out his congratulations to Springer.

"Congratulations to @DrewSpringer on the overwhelming victory tonight for Texas Senate District 30. We look forward to working with you to secure our border, support police, protect unborn, cut taxes, safeguard 2nd Amendment rights, fund schools & open up businesses in Texas."

Springer had Governor Abbott's endorsement and support, while Luther, who hails from the Dallas suburb of Pilot Point, ran an outsider's campaign without Abbott's support.

Luther made national headlines after she defied Gov. Abbott’s COVID-19 restrictions and built her campaign around opposing them. A political newcomer, Luther called Abbott a tyrant and pledged to rein in his power. In response, Abbott funneled thousands of dollars to Springer's campaign.

Senate District 30, which is heavily Republican, stretches across 14 counties in north Texas.

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Rep. Dade Phelan Gets House GOP Caucus Endorsement For Speaker

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Dade Phelan (R - Beaumont) has been endorsed by the House Republican Caucus to be the next Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. He has been endorsed by more than 100 of the chamber's 150 members, making him a virtual shoe-in for the position when the House convenes next month.

In announcing the endorsement of the Caucus in a press release posted on Twitter, chairman Jim Murphy heaped praise on the presumptive Speaker.

"Texas Republicans hold Representative Phelan in the highest esteem and we are confident he will be a successful House Speaker.... We are confident he will serve the house as a fair-minded and trustworthy steward of House operations and traditions."

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