Speaker Joe Straus announced his appointments to the Sunset Advisory Commission. Rep. Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton) will serve as Vice-Chair. Rep. Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas), Rep. Byron Cook (R-Corsicana) and public member Lamont Jefferson, a San Antonio attorney, join Rep. Carl Isett (R-Lubbock) and Rep. Linda Harper-Brown (R-Irving) on the Commission. An organizational meeting has been scheduled for November 17th at 11:00am at the Capitol.
The partisan balance in the Texas House is now 77-73 due to Rep. Chuck Hopson’s switch to the Republican Party. Hopson barely won reelection to his House District 11 seat in 2008 so the partisan switch will likely solidify his hold on the seat. Jacksonville dentist Michael Banks announced that he will challenge Hopson in the Republican primary.
El Paso County Attorney Jose Rodriguez has made it official. Rodriguez announced that he would run as a Democrat for the state Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso).
Rep. Delwin Jones (R-Lubbock) has drawn another primary opponent. Lubbock accountant Charles Perry has announced that he will run for House District 83 in the Republican primary.