Daily - The Austin Chronicle (2024)

UPDATE: Last Straus Opponents Withdraw

And Orr Makes 96

As the landslide for Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, to become speaker gains momentum, it's almost impossible to keep up with the numbers that support him. Since the 11.30am press conference today, Straus has already picked up two more votes, bringing him to 96.So now it's not how many but who, and the big surprise is Rep. Rob Orr, R-Burleson. Why the shock? Because Orr was pledged to Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, the last remaining roadblock for Straus. The only question now seems to be whether Smithee will bow out gracefully and get on board the bipartisan bus, or force an election on opening day of the session with only a conservative rump behind him.

Girlie Action Top 10

1) Ariel Abshire, Exclamation Love (Darla)2) Eve & the Exiles, Blow Your MindIt's ridiculous to try and number the rest of these in order. I really loved all these releases and in a heartbreak year when I needed a hard dose of feminine moral support, I got it in various degrees from these local (or locally related) CDs. Ariel Abshire’s debut Exclamation Love and Eve & the Exiles’ sophom*ore effort Blow Your Mind were my hands-down favorites but the releases below also kept me going.After the jump, they're in absolutely no particular order.

Straus: 94 and Counting

Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, finally went public today with the first full press event in his speaker candidacy.Full is the right word: The Capital Rotunda was crammed with legislators, staffers and media right up to the third storey. Once the hugging and hand-shaking amongst lege denizens was over, Straus and a healthy selection of his supporters from both sides of the aisles took to the podium.The big news? With the latest additions, Straus stands at 94 pledged votes as more Republicans start to drift towards him. He confirmed that he had indeed exchanged phone calls with his remaining rival, Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, but was waiting to hear from soon-to-be-former-Speaker Tom Craddick.Straus laid out his platform simply. "The November elections are over," he said, "and the legislators are now working for the people of Texas." He also called external pressure groups (some of which have been screaming that he's a baby-killing tree-hugger) lobbying against his speakership "a distraction." Ouch. Take that, Eagle Forum.The consensus is that this is a done deal: what's surprising is the speed. For example, Rep. Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton, R-Mauriceville (who two days ago was pledged to Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown) admitted he was caught so on the hop that he hadn't even packed a suit and turned up wearing a bright red sweater vest. Now the ball is in Smithee's court, but it seems highly unlikely that he conservative rump can derail the Straus express.

The Straus 85: Now It's 88

The list of pledges for Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, to become speaker is now out, and ever-growing. As of Sunday night, it stands at 88 (see below the fold for the complete list.)Obviously, there's going to be some tea-leaf reading and entrail-checking to read some significance into who is and isn't on there.The simple break-down: KVUE's Elise Hu is reporting that three more names have joined the original 85: Speaker Pro Tem Sylvester Turner, D-Houston; Representative-Elect Angie Chen Button, R-Richardson; And Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City.Out of the original 85 names, 70 were Democrats and 15 were Republicans. The totals now stand at 72 Dems and 16 GOPers, with more expected to start announcing before tomorrow's press conference.Does this mean that Straus is totally dependent on Democrats? Arguably, but possibly not. Since the Gang of 11 (the original Anyone but Craddick Republicans) had seven other speaker candidates in their roster, they may have more names in their back pocket, or at least the authority to leverage more backers now Craddick is out of the race. In fact, Straus has now picked up pledges from 12 other speaker candidates, which probably means he should file his own paperwork soon.

Craddick Withdraws

The impossible seems to have come true: Speaker Tom Craddick will be speaker no more.Lieutenants for the Midland Republican, including Reps. Will Hartnett, R-Dallas, and Sid Miller, R-Stephenville, are telling the press that he's withdrawing from the race, and it seems that the right wing of the party will get behind Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo. There is no formal confirmation from Craddick as of yet, and no solid word on whether Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown, will stand aside, but with Straus on 85 pledged votes, Smithee will have to make a convincing argument to take the gavel.Of course, it seems strange that the battle for the speaker's chair is coming down to two Republican candidates who weren't more than rumors a week ago. It seems even stranger that Craddick, who was talked about like an unbeatable leviathan, is now gone. Exactly where he goes seems like the next big mystery, but a major committee appointment seems almost inevitable.

The Straus 85

The details are hazy, but the numbers seem clear: Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, has released a list of the names of 85 state reps that have pledged to vote for him as House Speaker.Unless he's making it up, or someone's lying, it seems that Speaker Tom Craddick will lose his office in the next session.

First Night Remembered

If you were under a table by midnight on New Year's Eve, you may have missed the annual explosion of creativity that is First Night Austin.Luckily, before we descended into our own alcohol-induced stupor, the Chronicle's cameras managed to catch some footage of the big parade and the big clock bonfire at Auditorium Shores. Including (but not limited to) the Austin Bike Zoo, Girls Rock Camp Austin, the Capitol City Highlanders Pipe Band, Big Chief Kevin Goodman, the Texas Rollergirls, the Drishti Dancers, Hoopcircle, and, of course, the burning of 2008 in effigy.[video-1]

Straus to Head Craddick Challenge

"The smoke's up."That's how Rep. Tommy Merritt, R-Longview, made the announcement that the Anyone But Craddick Republicans had picked Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, as their consensus candidate to take on Speaker Tom Craddick.So why Straus? "He's a long-time Republican, worked in the (George H.W.) Bush administration, smart, and gets along with everyone," explained Merritt. He had put his own speaker ambitions aside for Straus, but said he was "happy with the consensus."Straus' affability and even-handedness may be the most important tool for the San Antonio Republican if he hopes to dislodge Craddick. About a dozen members from the 64 ABCDs (Anyone but Craddick Democrats, including Reps. Scott Hochberg of Houston, and Mark Strama and Valinda Bolton of Austin) were gathered for what Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, called a social gathering in his Lege office. Their response seemed positive. "He's known as a person who can bring people together" Gallego said.