Rep. Dustin Burrows is elected Texas House Speaker, winning with support from Democrats, amid GOP internal tensions.

A leader who learned to keep promises, a chance at chairing committees, and what they see as more chances for a fairer playing field.

Lubbock Republican state Rep. Dustin Burrows clinched the Texas House speakership Tuesday with 85 votes in the 150-member chamber.

AUSTIN — The 89th legislative session began Tuesday with members of the Texas House electing Rep. Dustin Burrows as their new speaker after a month-long divisive battle among Republicans. Burrows won the speaker's race by a vote of 85-55.

The trial lawyer from Lubbock has served in the House since 2015, slowly building his stature and overcoming a scandal in 2019.

The unusually public battle to helm the Texas House divided both Democratic and Republican lawmakers between Rep. Dustin Burrows and Rep. David Cook.

Since then, the vast majority of House speakers have been elected by acclamation or with more than 140 votes. Even Rep. Dade Phelan, whom hard-right Republicans forced from seeking a third term, received 143 votes in 2021 and 145 in 2023.

As the new House Speaker Rep. Burrows (R-Lubbock) will have a critical role in deciding the legislative priorities during the new session.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who heads the Texas Senate, opposed Burrows’ run for Speaker. He has since released a statement saying both the house and senate are required to pass legislation and he’s “counting” on Burrows to pass conservative legislation.

AUSTIN — Texas House lawmakers elected Republican Rep. Dustin Burrows as speaker Tuesday, shortly after the Legislature’s 89th regular session began.

Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Lubbock Republican recently selected as speaker of the Texas House, raised more than $750,000 in political contributions in the first two weeks of December. The sum — raised in the final sprint before state lawmakers are barred from fundraising until June 23,

Lubbock Republican state Rep. Dustin Burrows clinched the Texas House speakership Tuesday in the culmination of an unusually long and unusually public mudfight for the role.