Six former Texas House speakers serving on Thompson’s transition team
(The Center Square) – Six former speakers of the Texas House of Representatives are serving on the transition team of incoming presumptive Speaker of the House Senfronia Thompson, a Democrat from Houston. Not soon after Election Day after voters ousted all Republicans from statewide office and flipped the Texas House, Thompson announced she had the votes to be the next speaker. If elected, she will be the first woman and first Black state lawmaker to lead the chamber. She is among four women who were elected to lead Texas in January. Four Democratic women will be sworn into office Jan. 19 as Texas’ next governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the House and state comptroller, The Center Square reported. Referred to as Dean Thompson, Thompson has served in the Texas House since 1973. She is the longest-serving woman and longest-serving Black lawmaker in Texas legislative history, The Center Square reported. She announced her transition team on Tuesday: six former Texas House speakers. They include three Democrats: Ben Barnes (1965-1969), Gib Lewis (1983-1993) and Pete Laney (1993-2003). They also include three Republicans: Joe Straus (2009-2019), Dennis Bonnen (2019-2021) and Dade Phelan (2021-2025). “These former speakers know the house does its best work
