Meanwhile in the Panhandle, Republicans were less excited that Burrows won the speaker contest thanks largely to Democrats.

AUSTIN — Texas House lawmakers elected Republican Rep. Dustin Burrows as speaker Tuesday, shortly after the Legislature’s 89th regular session began.

In a dramatic two-ballot vote Tuesday, Republican state Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock clinched the title of speaker of the Texas House.

Conservative activists in the GOP caucus called any power sharing with the minority party a betrayal of Republican voters.

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.

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

Although Democrats will be prohibited from chairing the main legislative committees, the chamber voted to expand the powers they can have as vice chairs.

The Texas House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to ban Democrats from holding powerful committee chairmanships, answering years of mounting pressure from leadership and grassroots conservatives to chip away at the power of the minority party in the Capitol.