Texas has a powerful new House speaker after years of escalating Republican infighting. Dustin Burrows won the job on Tuesday with the support of Democrats who favored him over a challenger backed by the GOP’s emboldened hard right.

AUSTIN — The 89th legislative session began Tuesday with members of the Texas House electing Rep. Dustin Burrows as their new speaker after a month-long divisive battle among Republicans. Burrows won the speaker's race by a vote of 85-55.

A leader who learned to keep promises, a chance at chairing committees, and what they see as more chances for a fairer playing field.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who heads the Texas Senate, opposed Burrows’ run for Speaker. He has since released a statement saying both the house and senate are required to pass legislation and he’s “counting” on Burrows to pass conservative legislation.

The unusually public battle to helm the Texas House divided both Democratic and Republican lawmakers between Rep. Dustin Burrows and Rep. David Cook.

House Speaker Dade Phelan had been seeking his third session in the leadership role but dropped out of the race on Dec. 6. He’d faced scrutiny from some within the GOP for his leadership, including the appointment of Democrats as committee chairs – a long held House tradition – and the House’s impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Republican Dustin Burrows of Lubbock was elected Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, with a coalition of Republicans and Democrats supporting him, en

Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Lubbock Republican recently selected as speaker of the Texas House, raised more than $750,000 in political contributions in the first two weeks of December. The sum — raised in the final sprint before state lawmakers are barred from fundraising until June 23,