With Republicans suffering a crushing defeat that cost them control of the Texas House, longtime Democrat State Rep. Senfronia Thompson wasted no time launching her bid to become the chamber’s next speaker, announcing her candidacy before election results had even finished rolling in Tuesday night.
Thompson’s announcement came as election results were still coming in, with Democrats on track to capture approximately 83 of the chamber’s 150 seats, ending more than two decades of Republican control.
The dramatic reversal comes after what could only be described as a disastrous election night for Texas Republicans, who lost races up and down the ballot and saw their once-commanding majority in the House evaporate.
“Tonight, the people of Texas made history. For the first time in a generation, voters have entrusted Democrats with a majority in the Texas House, and with that victory comes an enormous responsibility to deliver for the people we serve,” Thompson said in a statement announcing her candidacy.
“After more than five decades serving in this chamber, I am proud to announce my candidacy for Speaker of the Texas House.”
Thompson is the first Democrat to formally enter the race to replace current House Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Lubbock Republican who was elected to the position in January 2025 with the support of a majority of Democrats and a minority of Republicans.
Since taking the gavel, however, Burrows had worked to consolidate support among Republicans who initially opposed his leadership. In the final weeks before Election Day, he embarked on a statewide bus tour supporting Republican House candidates, with roughly $11 million spent in his effort to maintain the Republican majority.
Those efforts, however, were not enough to prevent Democrats from seizing control of the chamber.
With Democrats now positioned to hold a majority, the next speaker is expected to come from their ranks, bringing an end to Republican leadership of the House for the first time since 2003.
Thompson, who was first elected in 1972, has served in the Texas House for over 54 years and is the longest-serving woman and Black legislator in Texas history.
A longtime liberal Democrat, Thompson has been a particularly vocal supporter of abortion.
This is not Thompson’s first attempt to become speaker. She previously filed for the position in 2020, ahead of an election in which Democrats had hoped to flip control of the House but ultimately failed.
This time, Democrats appear poised to enter the next legislative session with a governing majority.
Thompson’s announcement included endorsements from 10 Democrat lawmakers, including Democrat Caucus chair Gene Wu of Houston.
“Texans voted for change tonight, and they deserve a Speaker who will put their interests first,” Wu said. “Dean Thompson has dedicated her life to public service, and no one understands this institution or the responsibility that comes with leading it better than she does.”
Other Democrats endorsing Thompson include State Reps. Rafael Anchia, Diego Bernal, Erin Gámez, Ana Hernandez, Donna Howard, Jessica González, Ann Johnson, Toni Rose, and Armando Walle.
If elected, Thompson would become both the first woman and the first Black lawmaker to serve as Speaker of the Texas House.
The speaker is one of the most powerful positions in state government, with authority over committee appointments and the referral of legislation, giving the office significant influence over which proposals advance or die.
However, any legislation that advances through the House will have to go through the Senate before making it to the incoming Democrat Gov. Gina Hinojosa’s desk. Republicans will maintain control of that chamber and have already begun signaling they will act as a roadblock for liberal policies.
While Thompson is the first to formally announce her candidacy, additional candidates could emerge before lawmakers convene in January 2027.
The full House will elect its next speaker when the new legislative session begins.
