Day One Recap: Power Struggles At The Texas Capitol
The Speaker showdown steals the spotlight.
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/day-one-recap-power-struggles-at
The 2025 Texas legislative session kicked off with plenty of drama, from high-stakes leadership votes to surprise moments that left the chamber buzzing. With a Speaker’s race that highlighted deep party divides and strategic maneuvering, day one set the stage for what’s sure to be a contentious session. Here’s a breakdown of all the actions the House and Senate took on opening day.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what happened today, a few quick things:
Comptroller Glenn Hager announced yesterday that Texas is entering the Legislative session with a $23.76 billion surplus. In the last session, the surplus was $32 billion, which was spent to lower the property tax rate.
The Washington Post reported that Beto O’Rourke was considering running for Chair of the Texas Democratic Party. I screeched when I heard that. This job heavily involves organizing and fundraising, and no Democrat has been more successful in Texas at those two things than Beto. Plus, he’s been on the frontlines of state races and has seen firsthand what needs to be done. This is very exciting. But I promised I’d wait until after all candidates declared to share commentary. I just thought you’d want to know.
Day One - Opening Ceremonies - Texas House.
In both the House and the Senate, members were sworn in. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick led the Senate, and Secretary of State Jane Nelson led the House until the Speaker’s race.