The new Texas legislative session begins today at noon in Austin. The first order of business will be for the Texas House to elect a speaker.
Republicans hold an 83-64 advantage with three vacant seats. So, there is little doubt the new speaker will be a Republican and it's likely that current Speaker Dade Phelan will be reelected.
Last month, the Texas House Republican Caucus backed Phelan over Arlington Representative Tony Tinderholt by a wide margin, signalling that Phelen will enjoy a large majority in today's voting.
After the caucus vote, Phelen, a real estate broker from Beaumont, tweeted: "every member will play a role in our legislative process, and I look forward to earning the votes of all my colleagues."
The Speaker of the Texas House is an incredibly powerful position which sets the agenda for the state House and names committees and appoints committee chairs.
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