By Shelley Kofler, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-814995.mp3
Austin, TX – Now that Joe Straus has been elected Speaker he must govern. And there are some in the slim Republican majority who aren't happy that Democrats paved the way to his election. At Straus' swearing in Tuesday many seemed to heed the call for unity but KERA's Shelley Kofler reports there are wounds the new Speaker still must heal.
Swearing In: I Joe Strauss, do solemnly swear .
When the time came for state representatives to vote for a Speaker, all of the 150 present chose San Antonio Republican Joe Straus. But a week and a half earlier support for Straus was nowhere near unanimous, and his biggest challenge was with members of his own party.
A group of just 11 House Republicans bent on replacing Speaker Tom Craddick had emerged from a private meeting. They pledged to collectively support one among them and that was Straus.
To succeed the 11 Straus Republicans had to join with 64 Democrats. That guaranteed Straus half the House members. He needed a majority, at least one more, and began convincing others to join the winning side.
Even when Craddick dropped out of the race saying he couldn't win, 55 Craddick supporters drafted a candidate other than Straus.
Rep. Leo Berman of Tyler, who overstepped in calling Straus pro-choice, was among those claiming the next Speaker just wasn't conservative enough.
(Berman said Straus has missed more than 100 votes, is pro-choice, pro-gambling and doesn't represent the values of the Republican party.)
Rep Jerry Madden Of Richardson a late convert to Straus said some Craddick backers worried Straus would be beholden to Democrats because their numbers made him a contender.
(Madden said some Republicans are angry and anxious by the selection of Straus)
But one Democratic leader, Pete Gallego of Alpine, says Democrats cut no deal.
Gallego:Nobody's asked for cool committees, nobody's asked for millions of dollars for this program or that program. We've talked about fairness
Gallego says the only payback Democrats want is a Speaker who promotes good government by allowing all views to be heard.
Straus has promised to do that. Some predict it it will be tough for him to govern a closely divided chamber with 74 Democrats and 76 Republicans, but the former Paula Franz of San Antonio says Texas shouldn't worry. She was Straus' high school government teacher and says she gave him a grade of A.
Franz: He's superb. You couldn't have a better young man.