Houston Lawmakers Back Thompson for Speaker as Democrats Near Texas House Flip

Houston Rep. Senfronia Thompson announced her bid for the speakership of the Texas House on Tuesday night, seeking to lead the chamber if Democrats secure a majority.

Thompson, who has served in the House since 1973, is the longest-serving woman and Black lawmaker in Texas history. She said in a statement that Democrats now have an enormous responsibility to deliver for the people they serve. She expressed gratitude for her colleagues' support and said she was ready to lead with experience and determination.

The push for control began in April when Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick suggested Republicans would face a difficult time holding their majority. Patrick lost his own race Tuesday night. By Wednesday morning, Democrats had flipped six seats in the House, according to the Associated Press. They needed 14 flips to take control. They were leading in at least a dozen other districts held by Republicans.

House Democrats' caucus chair, Houston Rep. Gene Wu, backed Thompson's bid. He was among at least 11 Democrats who supported her before midnight. State Rep. Christina Morales, who chairs the party's campaign arm, also backed Thompson. Morales said she was working to make Thompson the first woman of color to serve as speaker.

In Harris County, three Republican state representatives were trailing their Democratic opponents. Rep. Mike Schofield of Katy was down significantly. Rep. Lacey Hull of Houston and Rep. Valoree Swanson of Spring also trailed. Democrats in the county appeared positioned to gain seats despite a lack of major national financial support.

Morales said her party's candidates ran on shoestring budgets without significant help from national organizations. She noted that they still managed to move the needle in their races. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee had targeted 12 potential flips in Texas this cycle. However, little national money flowed into the state, leaving local campaigns financially strained.

GOP data consultant Ross Hunt said Republicans did not yet have a complete picture of their losses. He acknowledged that it looked like Republicans would lose control of the state House. Hunt noted that warning signs were present but the scale of the losses surprised many party members. He said the party would need to redefine itself to remain competitive in the state.

Thompson and other Democrats are preparing for the potential shift in power. Morales said the party's early priorities would include expanding Medicaid and repealing school vouchers. She also mentioned repealing legislation she described as attacks on immigrants and people with brown skin. The race for the speakership is already underway as the final votes are counted.

Speaker Pro Tempore Joe Moody of El Paso is also considered a candidate for the top job. A Democratic staffer described Moody as setting himself up to be a key partner for Republicans, similar to former Speaker Joe Straus in 2008. That strategy could help Moody court Republicans for support. Morales said she supported Thompson and did not see a reason why she would not become speaker if the Democrats reached a majority.

The Texas Senate remains controlled by Republicans, with 19 members compared to 12 Democrats. Sen. Taylor Rehmet of Fort Worth held his seat, defeating Republican Leigh Wambsganss. If the House falls to Democrats, the Senate will be the only body in a divided government controlled by the GOP. Sen. Charles Schwertner of Georgetown posted on X that the Republican caucus would hold the line in the Senate.