Sometimes the good guys win, sometimes justice is served, and sometimes the bad guys get what's coming to them.
It appears the Texas State House, ruled with an iron fist for nearly six years by Republican Speaker Tom Craddick, is prepared to cast aside the last vestiges of the Tom DeLay era and remove DeLay's faithful lieutenant from the Speakership.
Attempts to oust Craddick as Speaker have been frequent since the fall of 2006, so this was perhaps inevitable given recent Democratic gains. Still, it must be immensely satisfying for Democrats to see the archconservative, take-no-prisoners partisan style of Speaker Craddick (best exemplified, perhaps, in the controversial mid-decade redistricting aimed at taking out the state's longest-serving House Democrats) receive its well-deserved comeuppance.
AUSTIN – With a promise to end partisan clashes, newcomer and moderate Republican Joe Straus of San Antonio is poised to become the new Texas House speaker after toppling 40-year veteran Tom Craddick of Midland.
In a meteoric rise, the two-term lawmaker won overwhelming support from 72 Democrats and 16 Republicans who said they were seeking a less combative atmosphere in the Capitol. Straus released a list Sunday night of 88 lawmakers – out of the 150 House members – who have pledged to vote for him when the Legislature convenes Jan. 13.
While Straus, the new Speaker, is still a Republican, and the House will remain under Republican control for at least another two years, the difference between Straus and Craddick is striking.
When he ascended to the Speakership in 2003, Craddick was the first Republican to occupy that office since Reconstruction. Unfortunately, his autocratic and hyperconservative style made him sufficient enemies on both sides of the aisle that he finds himself a far-right Republican backbencher once again, just as he did when Democrats controlled the House.
In a prepared statement, Straus commended Craddick for serving with distinction but pointedly said that a strong majority of his colleagues were looking to Straus "to restore civility, fairness and transparency" to the House.
"The needs of special interests and partisanship will take a back seat to doing what is right for our state at this critical time," Straus said. "It is time for a new tone and an atmosphere of trust in the Texas House of Representatives."
The defeat of Craddick, a social conservative who became the first Republican to lead the House in 130 years, followed three acrimonious sessions. In 2007, some Republicans yelled at him from the House floor for his claim of "absolute power." Democrats famously broke a 2003 quorum by fleeing to Oklahoma to avoid being steamrolled with a GOP redistricting plan.
Straus' ascension to the position of Speaker does carry some risk for Democrats, and for Straus himself. Needless to say, the Craddick loyalists (and there are still many within the Republican caucus) are not pleased at Straus' treachery, and he can expect to face a great deal of opposition from within his own caucus over the next two years. He only needs to maintain the support of a few Republicans, of course, if he can keep all the Democrats on his side, but it will escape no one's attention that Straus was elected with far greater support from Democrats than from Republicans.
For Texas Democrats, getting rid of Craddick is no doubt exciting, but it's possible it may actually compound the problems they face in trying to retake the Texas House. While Democrats are only two votes shy of a majority in the House, they have no shot at retaking the Texas Senate, and the Governorship (assuming the GOP nominates Kay Bailey Hutchison) is also likely out of reach.
So the House represents Texas Democrats' best chance to gain control in even one branch of government - and have a seat at the table during redistricting. This is no small issue, given the expertly gerrymandered Congressional map of today, and the likelihood that Texas will gain as many as four seats after the next census.
And Craddick's controversial style may have helped Texas Democrats in their efforts to retake the House, giving them a big target to run against in the same way Democrats used George Bush for federal elections in 2006 and 2008. If Joe Straus is serious about running the House like an adult, the backlash against Craddick Republicanism (which helped Democrats gain seats the last two cycles) may subside, and perhaps prevent the needed two-seat game to pass the Speaker's gavel over to the Democratic side. (Burnt Orange Report's Phillip Martin, however, downplays this possibility).
Still, any concerns can wait for another day. For now, all Texans and all Americans who hoped that 2008 would truly usher in a new era in American politics, can revel in the downfall of former House Speaker Tom Craddick.
The venerable Burnt Orange Report has been covering the Speaker's election for weeks, in far more detail, and is the place to go for further analysis.