AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) was elected Tuesday as the next speaker of the Texas House, as the 89th Texas Legislature gaveled into session.
Burrows won on a runoff vote after no candidate achieved a majority in the first round of voting. The final tally saw Burrows win by 85-55, defeating Rep. David Cook behind a coalition of Democrats and Republicans in the chamber.
In addition to Cook, Ana-María Rodríguez Ramos (D-Richardson) was also nominated for speaker and eliminated in the initial round of voting.
Burrows is a longtime ally of former House Speaker Dade Phelan, who gave up his bid for reelection just a day before House Republicans met last month.
The split down intra-party lines - between two sides of the GOP - has resulted in months of infighting among Republicans. One of the largest points of contention is over a longstanding House practice of naming some members of the minority party to chair certain legislative committees; Cook had vowed to end the practice; Republicans hold 86 of the chamber's 150 seats.
Burrows will now take his place as one of the state's "big three" - holding significant power in how the House operates and works with the Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and Gov. Greg Abbott on key priorities.