The election may be concluded, but the effort to hold Texas officials accountable is just beginning. The push for transparency and truth continues, and every contribution counts in this pursuit.
The race for the next Democratic House Speaker has officially commenced. State Representative Senfronia Thompson announced her candidacy on Tuesday evening, even before the House had officially flipped. By Thursday, sources from her campaign claimed she had garnered support from as many as 65 members, including five Republicans, as noted by a GOP member who was contacted for vote support.
Thompson, affectionately referred to as Ms. T by her colleagues, holds the record for the longest-serving Democrat in the House. To secure the speaker’s position, a candidate must achieve 76 votes. If Thompson can reach this threshold before the legislative session begins on January 12, she could potentially secure the role prior to the start of the new legislative year.
A press conference has been scheduled by Thompson for 2 p.m. on Friday.
State Representative Joe Moody, a Democrat from El Paso who has previously aligned with GOP leadership, publicly endorsed Thompson on Thursday evening. “Democrats have won and won big, and now we must deliver for Texas families,” Moody stated. “Dean Thompson is the one to make that happen.”
However, Thompson faces competition. On Thursday afternoon, State Representative Eddie Morales Jr. from Eagle Pass declared his candidacy for the speaker position. In his statement, Morales emphasized his commitment to ensuring that each member’s district is heard under his leadership. “Texas faces critical challenges and we must act swiftly to address them,” Morales remarked. “I look forward to earning the votes and trust of my colleagues to deliver results across the state.”
Some members of the Democratic caucus believe that a candidate like Morales could pose a serious challenge to Thompson, as Democrats from border regions tend to be more moderate and may resonate with Republicans seeking to form a coalition now that they are in the minority.
On Wednesday night, approximately 25 Democrats, predominantly from the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, convened to discuss their preferences for a speaker, although no specific candidates were named during the meeting. Later, the House Democratic Caucus gathered to strategize regarding their new majority.
Two Republican staffers revealed that a group of GOP House members held a Zoom meeting to explore the possibility of supporting a Democrat as part of a power-sharing arrangement. Another Republican member indicated that Representatives Oscar Longoria and Morales approached them about withholding support while the speaker race develops, though neither was actively promoting their candidacy at that time.
Longoria, who also sought the speakership in 2020 during a previous unsuccessful Democratic effort to flip the House, could be another factor in the race. Meanwhile, Thompson has the potential to attract some Republican support. Representative J.M. Lozano, a Republican from Kingsville who changed parties in 2012, expressed his admiration for Thompson in an interview. “We need someone like that to guide us through these challenging times,” Lozano remarked.
Thompson’s candidacy is bolstered by her extensive experience, reminiscent of Representative Tom Craddick, a Republican who became speaker as the longest-serving member of his caucus when the GOP took control in 2002. First elected in 1972, Thompson represents a time of bipartisanship in the Texas House and commands respect from both parties.
As the longest-serving woman and Black lawmaker in Texas history, if Thompson were to assume the speakership, the state’s Big Three leadership would consist entirely of women from diverse ethnic backgrounds: Governor Gina Hinojosa, Lieutenant Governor Vikki Goodwin, and Speaker Thompson. Notably, Texas has never had a female House Speaker.
Nevertheless, some staffers have raised concerns that Thompson’s age could be a disadvantage in her campaign. She will turn 88 before the next session begins, and while she remains a formidable presence on the House floor, the role of speaker demands substantial time and travel for numerous fundraising activities—an essential consideration as Democrats prepare to defend their majority in 2028.
Even with this being Democrats’ largest House majority since the 1993 legislative session, many of the recent flips were decided by narrow margins. A significant question looms: Will the next Democratic leader uphold the House’s long-standing traditions of bipartisanship established prior to 2025, or will there be a shift toward a more partisan approach, as evidenced by last year’s GOP-led efforts to restrict Democrats from holding committee leadership positions?
One Democratic staffer noted, “We’ll see how much the Republicans enjoy having no Republican committee chairs and no quorum breaks in the House. I’m perfectly willing to maintain the rules they chose to adopt as the majority.” With over two decades of Democratic governance lacking unified collaboration, the current situation presents unique challenges.
As Democrats anticipate a majority of either 83-67 or 84-66, the dynamics of the speaker race become even more complex. Should a challenger to Thompson draw away 20 Democratic supporters, they would need to ally with 56 Republicans to secure the essential 76 votes.
Given the presence of approximately two dozen hardliners in the GOP caucus and the more moderate members facing difficult primary challenges, forming a coalition leadership team could prove daunting. Representative Brent Money, a Republican from Greenville, firmly stated on social media, “There is no scenario in which I will vote for a Democrat Speaker. I’ll be working with the patriots in the Texas House and Senate to ensure our children and grandchildren inherit a Texas that’s safe, free, and prosperous.”
