Rep. Dustin Burrows is elected Texas House Speaker, winning with support from Democrats, amid GOP internal tensions.

The unusually public battle to helm the Texas House divided both Democratic and Republican lawmakers between Rep. Dustin Burrows and Rep. David Cook.

AUSTIN — The 89th legislative session began Tuesday with members of the Texas House electing Rep. Dustin Burrows as their new speaker after a month-long divisive battle among Republicans. Burrows won the speaker's race by a vote of 85-55.

The trial lawyer from Lubbock has served in the House since 2015, slowly building his stature and overcoming a scandal in 2019.

AUSTIN — Newly elected Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, struck a conciliatory tone in his victory speech after defeating David Cook, R-Mansfield in what split the GOP.

Will Texas House Republicans pay for supporting Dustin Burrows for speaker? Passage of conservative priorities could remove the sting for primary voters

There is a new speaker of the Texas House. That was the top issue as the 89th session of the Texas Legislature began.

The political donations came in the two weeks before the fundraising blackout period tied to the legislative session.

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The House of Representatives was busting at the seams Tuesday afternoon as all 150 lawmakers and their families crowded in for the ceremonial swearing-in of the 89th legislative session.

Burrow’s win was an assertion of the chamber’s longstanding independence, and it set up another session of likely clashes with the more partisan Texas Senate.

The Texas House of Representatives elected Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) as its next speaker of the house. The House voted 85-55 in favor of Burrows over Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield). Nine members did not vote. Burrows' votes came from 46 Democrats and 39 Republicans.

Lubbock Republican state Rep. Dustin Burrows clenched the speakership of the Texas House on Tuesday in the culmination of an unusually long and unusually public mudfight for the role.