Posted 10:57 am Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Leo Berman Plans Run For Speaker Of The House
KYTX CBS19 VIDEO
By ADAM RUSSELL
Staff Writer
State Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler is expected to file as a candidate for the Speaker of the House position during the 82nd Legislative Session in January 2011.
Staff Writer
State Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler is expected to file as a candidate for the Speaker of the House position during the 82nd Legislative Session in January 2011.
The representative said he would officially file his candidacy with the Texas Ethics Commission today. Berman said he intends to unseat House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, who he said is not a conservative and stone-walled conservative legislation after aligning with Democrats to take the position in 2009.
"He made promises to the Democrats. He promised to kill voter (identification) and not to see any immigration bills. That's how he got elected," Berman said.
Berman has been critical of Straus since he took the position before the 81st Legislative session. Straus, Berman said, gained the top spot in the House by aligning with Democrats and 11 dissident Republicans to unseat Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland.
He blames the failure of a Republican supported voter identification bill on Straus because the speaker allowed Democratic stall tactics. Berman also said Straus, through committee appointments and assignments, showed an unwillingness to give immigration bills clear passage to be heard on the House floor.
Berman filed nine immigration bills during the previous session. All failed to exit their assigned committees to be heard on the floor.
Smith County Republican Party Chairman Ashton Oravetz said Berman is the likeliest conservative candidate. Oravetz said Berman's reputation as a politician who "does what he says he will do," and ability to work with others despite disagreements make him a viable candidate.
"Yes (Berman) is a lightening rod on immigration," he said. "But people trust him and he is likeable."
Oravetz said there is strong discontent for Straus among conservative Republicans. He called Straus "a liberal" and said conservative Republicans will be aligning to unseat him.
"He isn't a real Republican. He's very moderate and was elected by moderate Republicans and Democrats and I think he's given them way too much power," Oravetz said. "We're not going to get conservative legislation through the House unless we elect a conservative speaker."
Before the 81st began in 2009, Straus was nominated, from among 11 dissident Republicans, including Rep. Tommy Merritt, R-Longview, who joined 64 Democrats to create a majority, to oust Craddick. Craddick was vying for his fourth term as the presiding officer over the 150-member chamber.
Republicans held a 76-74 majority in the House at the time. The narrow partisan split and divided GOP loyalties meant House Democrats, who endorsed Straus, decided the race for Speaker.
The 11 dissident Republicans' numbers are down to eight following Republican primary losses for Merritt, and Rep. Delwin Jones, R-Lubbock, and the resignation of Rep. Brian McCall, R-Plano. Berman said he is running because a number of conservatives, including Craddick, have asked him to make an early run at Straus.
As House Speaker, Berman said he would ensure no tax increase despite an expected $18 billion budget shortfall by making cuts, and that pro-life bills and legislation relating to illegal immigrants would be heard on the House floor. Berman said he would be "fair and try to hear everyone's bills in committee if at all possible and not purposefully kill bills like Straus did."
He said it is also imperative that conservatives are in position to fight federal mandates regarding health care, possible cap and trade legislation and drilling moratoriums that could place increased stress on the Texas economy during a recession.
Berman, who was elected to the House in 1998, said conservatives need gains in November to have a shot at the position. In a letter, which he has prepared to send to Republican colleagues in the House, Berman puts the magic number at 83 seats "and with that majority, we must vote for our own conservative speaker in our own caucus. Do not ever let Democrats control our speaker again."
The Speaker's office was contacted for comment. A response was not received before press time.
