Wednesday’s announcements by Texas house speaker Joe Straus and house state affairs committee chairman Byron Cook that they are not seeking re-election next year caught local lawmakers by surprise.
State representative John Raney of Bryan added he understood Straus’s decision, considering how the speaker…in Raney’s words, “has been beat up on a lot”.
State representative Kyle Kacal of College Station said Wednesday would become a significant day in the history of Texas politics.
Raney and Kacal expect a lot of interest in the leadership positions.
Neither are interested in the speaker’s post. Raney says he does not have the financial resources to make a commitment to what he says is a fulltime job. Kacal says his priority is to serving the 12th district.
Click below for comments from John Raney and Kyle Kacal, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.