Joe Straus showed off signatures from members who've endorsed him, all but claimed victory, and said he plans to meet with his last remaining rival — John Smithee to try to wrap up the race for House speaker.
Straus did a packed press conference in the Capitol Rotunda, praised House Speaker Tom Craddick's service, said "the project is not quite complete," and said he'd talked to Smithee and is trying to set up a meeting. Straus stood in the middle of a mob of House members under a picture of former Gov. and House Speaker Price Daniel and in front of a bank of cameras and a throng of reporters, staffers, lobbyists and other gawkers.
Add five names to the 88 he announced previously:
Joe Driver of Garland, Al Edwards of Houston, Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton of Mauriceville, Patricia Harless of Spring, and Wayne Smith of Baytown.
The complete list, including those additions:
Democrats (73): Alma Allen, Roberto Alonzo, Carol Alvarado, Rafael Anchia, Valinda Bolton, Lon Burnam, Joaquin Castro, Norma Chavez, Ellen Cohen, Garnet Coleman, Yvonne Davis, Joe Deshotel, Dawnna Dukes, Jim Dunnam, Al Edwards, Craig Eiland, Kirk England, Joe Farias, David Farabee, Jessica Farrar, Kino Flores, Stephen Frost, Pete Gallego, Helen Giddings, Veronica Gonzalez, Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles, Ryan Guillen, Roland Gutierrez, Joe Heflin, Ana Hernandez, Abel Herrero, Scott Hochberg, Terri Hodge, Mark Homer, Chuck Hopson, Donna Howard, Carol Kent, Tracy King, David Leibowitz, Eddie Lucio, Diana Maldonado, Barbara Mallory Caraway, Marisa Marquez, Armando Martinez, Trey Martinez Fischer, Ruth Jones McClendon, Jim McReynolds, Jose Menendez, Robert Miklos, Joe Moody, Elliott Naishtat, Rene Oliveira, Dora Olivo, Solomon Ortiz, Aaron Pena, Joe Pickett, Paula Pierson, Chente Quintanilla, Richard Raymond, Tara Rios Ybarra, Allan Ritter, Eddie Rodriguez, Patrick Rose, Mark Strama, Kristi Thibaut, Senfronia Thompson, Chris Turner, Sylvester Turner, Allen Vaught, Marc Veasey, Mike Villarreal, Hubert Vo, Armando Walle.
Republicans (20): Dan Branch, Angie Chen Button, Byron Cook, Joe Driver, Rob Eissler, Gary Elkins, Charlie Geren, Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton, Patricia Harless, Delwin Jones, Jim Keffer, Edmund Kuempel, Brian McCall, Tommy Merritt, Doug Miller, Jim Pitts, Burt Solomons, Todd Smith, Wayne Smith, Joe Straus.