Lubbock celebrates the rise of the native Dustin Burrose to Texas House’s speaker – the Texas Tribune

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Lubbock – the largest city in the southern plains is nearly 400 miles from the Texas Capitol. Still, he feels closer than ever when the State Representative Dustin Burrouz is a spokesman for Texas House.

This has become a point of pride for the area. Burrose is the first speaker from the west of the Interstate 35 – a symbolic division in the state – after the reputation of Midland Tom Craidik, who withdrew in 2009. Before him, former State Representative Pete Lani, Democrat from Hale Center, was brought out for his bilateral participation as speaker.

Burrose’s victory also brought a sense of optimism in an area that can be lost in the stirring of the business in Capitol. The legislator was born and raised in Lubbock, where he shows pigs in livestock exhibitions and later serves as a livestock judge. He won two degrees from the Texas Technical University and worshiped his Alma Mater in Capitol in 2023, along with his colleague from the reputation of Lyubok Carl Teper.

His voters say he knows and understands the needs in Western Texas, along with the rural communities around him, including water supply, agriculture and relief of ownership tax. With a rural legislator at the head of the Texas House, the Western Texas hope that their needs will be recognized more at this legislative session. As a speaker, Burrouz has a broad judgment of what the legislation has gained approval in the lower house of the state.

“We are glad to see someone sitting in the office of a speaker who has some rural roots,” says David Gibson, previous president of the Texas Council for Agriculture and Maize Manufacturer in the Burrose area. “He and his staff have a real understanding of agriculture and water problems, and his door has always been open to us in agriculture.”

Burrouz graduated from Monterey High School and Texas Technical University. He is prominent in local advertisements for Lubbock’s Law Firm, where he works, until Texas GOP launches ads last month in the area, calling it a sale to challenge the preferences by the Party of the Party David Cook.

After a monthly battle in the Republican Party for the place, Burrouz appeared with a hammer in a large extent to the Democrats. The bigger part of the Republicans supported Cook from Mansfield. Burrose’s victory was not universally celebrated among Republicans. Lieutenant Dan Patrick, who led the Senate of Texas, said Burrose was handed over to the speaker by the Democrats.

Some of these moods were closer to the home. Residents in Panhandle, north of the Burrows region, called the legislator “Dade Phelan V.2”, a reference to the latest House speaker, on social media, and expressed disappointment with the result. Reporter Caroline fairly from Amarilo supported Burrouz, while her colleague for a longtime reporter John Smith voted for Cook.

This is an interesting progression. Just five years ago, Burrouz resigned as chairman of The House Go Caucus to agree with then -spokesman Dennis Bonen and Right Activist Group to remove other GOP members in an upcoming primary. With the work in the legislature that are just beginning, all the eyes from the distant rural pockets of the state to the politically oriented Austin-to-to-Burrose and its leadership abilities.

“His whole legislator profile is almost like someone who has failed, but he’s standing on his feet and distinguished himself,” says Drew Landri, a government professor at South Plains College. “This is the type of leadership to which anyone can contact.”

Burrows has long strengthened local projects in the house. He helped lead the efforts to launch the University School of Veterinary Medicine in Texas Tech. Burrose has also set up a billion dollars donation fund to finance research projects at Texas Tech and other university systems.

This does not mean that areas outside Western Texas will be neglected. Landry, who was the democratic opponent of Burrose in 2018, thinks he will let every representative say the word. This includes Democrats – something that started to start the Republicans of Burrose. Burrouz expressed so much after his victory.

“I am committed to you today, every member will have a voice,” Burrouz said after winning oratory. “Each area will have space on the table.”

Burrose said he would leave the republican vote of the Chamber, which could lead committees, and the chamber voted for their rules last week. According to the new rules, the committees will only be guided by a member of the majority party – the Republicans – while the minority party will have a deputy chairmen.

This gives the Democrats some abilities to share power in the Chamber, though not as presidential committees. Still, Burrose has been criticized for the change. Landry said there would probably be more disagreements between Burrose and Lieutenant Patrick. However, unlike the times when Patrick and Fellan regularly traded insults on social media, Landry said Burrose was not the type to do the same.

“The spokesman Burrouz is a person with a tightly closed, he will only talk when he really has something to say,” Landri said. “It seems uncharacteristic of Burrose to have a public battle, but this is an uncharacteristic position.”

During the weeks leading to the vote, political action committees sent advertisements for text messages against Burrose, some of which came to rural Texas Panhandell. Susan Belnider, a former legislative consultant and the owner of the Hansford Reporter, said she was angry when she received text messages, stabbing Burrose.

“We don’t get much news or information,” Belnider said. “So the ability of this group of billionaire to buy marketing and push it into our communities angered me at some level.”

Bellsnyder, a resident of Speymanman, is a Republican throughout her life and says she has never voted against the party. Still, she could not stand behind the tactics that the GOP state used, including threats to MPs who support Burrose. Bellsnyder said that tactics are less effective in rural texas districts that are full of small cities and tightly woven communities that give residents a chance to really know their legislators.

“It just doesn’t stick because we know better,” Belnider said. “This is what makes our smaller regions more influential than others, because we know our people.”

Bellsnyder became a vocal defender of Burrows through social media. Her arguments were largely spinning about what the rural Texas needed to survive and how she did not think Cook would help them. To oppose Burrose is contrary to the best interests of rural communities, Belnider said.

She also noticed where they supported the representatives she supported – and they support storms.

“Where were all the village republicans I identify with? They were in the Burrose camp, ”Belnider said.

After the speaker vote, the ads against Burrose have stopped. The comment took longer to reduce.

True Texas Project, a prominent far -right group, has set out on social media to call the Burrose elections “illegitimate” because it was elected by a majority of Democrats. Others have referred to him as “Rino” – or just a Republican – despite his role in the adoption of laws that suggest otherwise. This includes laws that limit the power of cities and districts to adopt progressive policies, reduce ownership taxes, and merger against more stringed weapons laws.

“This is a completely false story that is unfounded,” said David Bregel, chairman of Lubbock GOP. “He is steadfast in support of party problems. Not only as a vote “yes”, but through authorship and overlapping the legislation. “

Proponents of Burrose’s hometown were proud to predominate the representative. Lyubok Mayor Mark McBrher congratulated Burrose, saying that the city is fortunate to have a “strong, conservative leader” and he eagerly awaits the City Council to work closely with him.

“There has never been a doubt that Western Texas was behind Dustin,” McBrher says in a statement to Tribune. “We need his strong voice and leadership in Austin.”

Landri, the government professor, said Burrose is the best history of Western Texas. What he does with power remains to see.

“Burrouz faces challenges both within and outside his party,” Landri said. “I think he feels quite comfortable because he has won them all.”

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