Texas House elects Dade Phelan speaker as 2021 legislative session gets underway

Phelan’s election to the gavel was one of the House’s first order of business Tuesday, when the Legislature kicked off the 2021 legislative session.

  • State Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, held a press conference at the capitol to declare that he had enough votes to become Speaker of the House. Nov 4, 2020. Photo Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr.
    State Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, held a press conference at the capitol to declare that he had enough votes to become Speaker of the House. Nov 4, 2020. Photo Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr.
The Texas House on Tuesday elected state Rep. Dade Phelan as the next House speaker, ushering into office a new leader who will oversee a chamber facing its toughest set of legislative challenges in years against the backdrop of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The House voted 143-2 for Phelan, with four members not voting. The two members who voted against Phelan were GOP freshmen Bryan Slaton…

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