Texas Democrat Senfronia Thompson Secures Nomination for House Speaker
The 87-year-old representative from Houston will seek to succeed Dustin Burrows when Democrats take control of the chamber in January.
By Leah Thompson ·
State Rep. Senfronia Thompson announced on Friday that she has gathered the necessary support to become the next Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.
Thompson, a Democrat from Houston, stated she has enough votes from colleagues to lead the chamber after the party took control in the recent midterm elections. She will seek to succeed Republican Speaker Dustin Burrows when the new session begins on Tuesday, Jan. 12. If elected, she would become the first woman and the first African American to hold the position in the state's history.
During a news conference at the Capitol, Thompson expressed gratitude for the selection. She noted that working across party lines could improve outcomes for the state. "I'm not only grateful, but I'm very honored to have been selected to lead the next session of the legislature, which will be the 90th session," she said. "And I know that with the colleagues that are being sent to the legislature, both Democrats and Republicans working together, we can make a difference in the state of Texas and the lives of the people that we represent."
Thompson, 87, is the longest-serving woman and African American in Texas legislative history. She has served in office for more than 50 years and is known as the dean of the House. Lawmakers from the Dallas-Fort Worth area attended her announcement to show support for her candidacy.
She emphasized the need for the new majority to focus on district-level priorities. "We want to make sure that this legislature doesn't forget who brought us to the dance," Thompson said. "We want to make sure we dance on those issues that are going to be important and impactful for them. Education, health care. You name it. There are just so many issues, and we are willing, and we're rolling up our sleeves, and we are ready to go. We're ready to fight."
The midterm results shifted the balance of power in the lower chamber. Democrats flipped 21 seats, moving from 62 members to 83. Republicans will drop from 88 members to 67. The state has 150 House districts. In the Senate, Republicans will retain a majority with 18 seats compared to 13 for Democrats. The Senate has 31 districts.
The leadership change places three Democratic women in the top elected offices at the Capitol. Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa will become the state's third female governor and first Latina. Lieutenant Governor-elect Vikki Goodwin will be the first woman in that role.
