Texas
Texas House Democratic Caucus elects Trey Martinez Fischer as its new chair
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State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer is the most recent chair of the Texas Home Democratic Caucus and can take the lead on legislative technique, messaging and fundraising for a minimum of the subsequent two years.
He secured the place Wednesday throughout a closed-door caucus assembly in Austin. He defeated Rep. Gina Hinojosa of Austin, after a 3rd candidate, Rep. John Bucy of Austin, withdrew earlier than voting started. Bucy endorsed Hinojosa.
Martinez Fischer replaces Rep. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie, who has led the caucus since 2017 and didn’t search reelection.
The election of Martinez Fischer might sign a extra confrontational posture for the caucus. He is called a fighter on the Home flooring who’s well-versed within the guidelines, one of many few instruments the minority has to make an affect. He unsuccessfully challenged Turner for the chairmanship in the course of the 2021 session.
Martinez Fischer represents the San Antonio-based Home District 116. He held the seat from 2001-17 earlier than reclaiming it in 2018 after an unsuccessful marketing campaign for state Senate.
Democrats are once more within the minority as they enter the subsequent legislative session, which begins Jan. 10. They management 64 seats, whereas Republicans maintain 86 — the same stability to the one final session.
The Home Democratic caucus captured the nationwide highlight final yr when most of its members broke quorum — absconding to Washington, D.C. — in protest of Republicans’ precedence elections invoice, which they described as a voter suppression measure that disproportionately affected individuals of colour. They finally splintered on the right way to sustain their protest, and sufficient Democrats returned to the ground to permit passage of the invoice. Intraparty tensions have lingered from that episode as the subsequent session approaches.
On Tuesday, the Mexican American Legislative Caucus additionally elected new management, choosing Rep. Victoria Neave Criado of Dallas as its chair. One other Dallas consultant, Rafael Anchia, didn’t search reelection as chair.