Joseph R. Straus, III, known as Joe Straus (born September 1, 1959), is the current Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. He represents District 121, which comprises northeastern Bexar County, including part of San Antonio, Texas, and several surrounding communities. Straus joined the House after defeating fellow Republican Glenn Scott Starnes, later the city manager in Eagle Pass, Texas, in a special election held in February 2005. Straus was first elected Speaker on January 13, 2009. He was reelected to a second two-year term as Speaker on January 11, 2011.
| Joseph R. "Joe" Straus, III | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 13, 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Tom Craddick |
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 121st district |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 2005 |
|
| Preceded by | Elizabeth Ames Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 1, 1959 San Antonio, Texas, USA |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Julie Brink Straus |
| Children | Sara Straus, Robyn Straus |
| Residence | San Antonio, Texas |
| Alma mater | Vanderbilt University |
| Occupation | Politician, businessman |
| Religion | Jewish |
Joseph R. Straus, III, known as Joe Straus (born September 1, 1959), is the current Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. He represents District 121, which comprises northeastern Bexar County, including part of San Antonio, Texas, and several surrounding communities. Straus joined the House after defeating fellow Republican Glenn Scott Starnes, later the city manager in Eagle Pass, Texas, in a special election held in February 2005. Straus was first elected Speaker on January 13, 2009. He was reelected to a second two-year term as Speaker on January 11, 2011.
In January 2013, the moderate Republican Straus faced intraparty conservative opposition for a third term as Speaker from Representative David Simpson of Longview. Simpson entered the race for Speaker in December 2012, after Straus's previous opponent, conservative Bryan Hughes of Mineola, withdrew from the contest after nearly six months of seeking commitments from colleagues.[1]However, Simpson withdrew before the balloting for Speaker began, and Straus was reelected without opposition on January 8, 2013.[2]
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Business and community experience[edit]
A lifelong San Antonian, Straus currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Cancer Therapy and Research Center as well as on the Texas Cord Blood Bank. Previously, he served on the board of directors of the San Antonio Zoological Society, the Texas Nature Conservancy, the Southwest School of Art and Craft, and the Winston School.[3]
Political experience[edit]
Representative Straus has previously served on the Management Committee of the Bexar County Republican Party, as a precinct chairman, and on numerous campaign committees for federal, state, and local candidates. He served in the administration of U.S. President George H. W. Bush from 1989 through 1991 as Deputy Director of Business Liaison at the U.S. Department of Commerce and also under Ronald W. Reagan as Executive Assistant to the Commissioner of Customs. In 1986, he was U.S. Representative Lamar Smith's campaign manager in Smith's first race for Congress.[3]
Challenge against Tom Craddick[edit]
After witnessing his fellow Republicans lose three House seats in the November 2008 elections, Straus decided to run against then Speaker Tom Craddick of Midland, the senior Republican in the Texas House. Dissent against Craddick had been brewing in the Texas House. The latest round of disappointing election results hurt Craddick's standing with his Republican colleagues. Shortly after New Year's Day, eleven House Republican members, including the late Edmund Kuempel of Seguin, met in the Austin home of Representative Byron Cook of Corsicana (ten in person and one via webcam). Each wanted an alternative to Craddick. After four rounds of secret balloting, with state and local media hanging around outside in the neighbors' lawns, Straus emerged as their challenger to unseat the Speaker. Over the next several days, the group, dubbed by the media as the "Gang of 11", set out to garner the required minimum of 76 votes (of the 150 members) to achieve their mission. After several days of phone calls, e-mails, pledge cards and signature gathering, Joe Straus announced on Sunday, January 4, 2009, he had enough votes to win the job. By the following evening remaining opposition to Straus conceded. After securing his position as House Speaker, Straus proceeded to appoint Democrats to sixteen of the House's thirty-four chairmanship positions.
San Antonio Democrat Mike Villarreal said that Straus brought "the right temperament [to the Speakership]. After three sessions of Tom Craddick, the House was ready for a change."[4]Frank Corte, Jr., a San Antonio Republican who had been committed to retaining Craddick as Speaker, said that Straus "has a different leadership style, there's no doubt about it. He has an indirect way of handling things. He doesn't weigh in heavily at first."[4] Straus' rabbi, Barry H. Block, said "If people underestimated Joe, they'll stop now."[4]
An aide said that Straus "doesn't like to label himself on social issues. . . . He considers himself pro-life, just not a proselytizing one. . . . He sees the big picture -- jobs, economy, education."[4] Another Republican, the departing Leo Berman from Tyler, had indicated an intention to run for Speaker but withdrew and endorsed Warren Chisum, a Republican from Pampa, who unsuccessfully challenged Straus for the Speaker's gavel. McKinney Republican Ken Paxton also sought the position.
Antisemitism controversy as Speaker[edit]
In 2010, e-mails circulated among members of the Texas State Republican Executive Committee calling for Straus to be replaced by a "Christian conservative" as Speaker, on the grounds that "we elected a house with Christian, conservative values. We now want a true Christian, conservative running it."[5] Straus's opponents for the Speakership, Ken Paxton and Warren Chisum, are Christians; both condemned the comments.[6]
John Cook, author of some of the e-mails, said, "I want to make sure that a person I'm supporting is going to have my values. It's not anything about Jews and whether I think their religion is right or Muslims and whether I think their religion is right. ... I got into politics to put Christian conservatives into office. They're the people that do the best jobs over all." Cook denied allegations that he is antisemitic, saying that he had Jewish friends and that Jesus Christ, a Jew, is his favorite person.[5]
Mr. South Texas[edit]
In 2011, Straus was named "Mr. South Texas" during the Washington's Birthday Celebration in Laredo in south Texas. The Laredo Morning Times referred to Straus as "a relative newcomer to state elected office, [who] quickly took on a highly respected leadership role with his cool, unflappable style and insistence on civility in an often rowdy House." Straus was presented a gold medallion and large framed proclamation installing him in "Los Caballeros de la Republica del Rio Grande," or "Gentleman of the Republic of the Rio Grande."[7]
Election of 2012[edit]
Straus was handily renominated to the Texas House in the Republican primary held on May 29, 2012. With 10,362 votes (62.9 percent), he defeated opponent Matt Beebe, who polled 6,108 ballots (37.1 percent).[8] In the November 6 general election, Straus faced no Democrat opponent and handily defeated the Libertarian nominee, Arthur M. Thomas, IV, 50,530 (80.2 percent) to 12,444 (19.8 percent).[9]
References[edit]
- ^ "Tim Eaton, "Simpson announces run for speaker of Texas House", December 10, 2012". Austin American Statesman. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
- ^ "Legislature opens; Straus re-elected", Laredo Morning Times, January 9, 2013, p. 10A
- ^ a b "Representative Joe Straus". Texas House of Representatives. 13 January 2009. Archived from the original on 22 August 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
- ^ a b c d Lisa Sandberg, "The Most Popular Guy at the Capitol", San Antonio Magazine, June 2009, p. 54
- ^ a b Rapoport, Abby (December 3, 2010). "SREC Member: "I got into politics to put Christian conservatives into office."". Texas Observer.
- ^ Rapoport, Abby (November 17, 2010). "Has Anti-Semitism Entered the Texas Speaker's Race?". Texas Observer.
- ^ Straus becomes newest caballero, Laredo Morning Times, February 19, 2011, p. 3A
- ^ "Republican primary election returns, May 29, 2012". enr.sos.state.tx.us. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
- ^ "General election returns, November 6, 2012". elections.sos.state.tx.us. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
External links[edit]
- Speaker of the House Joe Straus official Texas House of Representatives site
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Financial information (state office) at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Tom Craddick |
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives January 13, 2009–present |
Incumbent |
| Texas House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by Elizabeth Ames Jones |
Texas State Representative from District 121 2005–present |
Incumbent |
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