During a brief meeting of the House Republican Caucus, members of the GOP unanimously nominated Rep. Dennis Bonnen (R–Angleton) as their unified choice for Speaker of the Texas House.

After the meeting, State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock), who chairs the caucus, said House Republicans were looking forward to Bonnen leading the chamber to conservative victories in 2019.

“Texas House Republicans have full faith in Representative Dennis Bonnen as he has committed his speakership to supporting and empowering our members of the Texas House so they may dutifully represent the values and principles of their districts,” Burrows commented.  “As a unified caucus behind Representative Bonnen, we are prepared to get to work on January 8th.”

“Today I have the distinct honor of receiving the endorsement of my Republican House colleagues to become the next Speaker of the Texas House,” said Bonnen. “Session after session I have fought alongside these members to help champion conservative legislation for the state of Texas and my constituents. Next session will be no different.”

“I thank the Texas House Republican Caucus for nominating me today and I look forward to working with them in the coming months to unite the House and conduct the people’s business with strength and resolve,” Bonnen added.

The nomination served as all but formality for Bonnen, as weeks ago he made the announcement that he had garnered the support of a majority of members, including the vast majority of Republican members.

Since then, Bonnen has begun hiring staff and meeting with other statewide officials, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, about their plans for the upcoming session.

New bylaws passed in the House Republican Caucus created a process by which members  would nominate a unified Republican candidate for the position, rather than allow Democrats to join with a minority of Republicans to elect another “coalition” speaker like Joe Straus. Though some speaker candidates attempted to recreate this arrangement, the caucus nomination process helped thwart their efforts.

The official vote, the final hurdle for Bonnen, will occur shortly after the new legislature gavels in on January 8.

Brandon Waltens

Brandon serves as the Senior Editor for Texas Scorecard. After managing successful campaigns for top conservative legislators and serving as a Chief of Staff in the Texas Capitol, Brandon moved outside the dome in order to shine a spotlight on conservative victories and establishment corruption in Austin. @bwaltens

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