Joe Straus

Joseph Richard Straus III (born September 1, 1959) is an American politician who served as the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from 2009 to 2019.

Straus' political career began as a follower of senator John Tower, who was known in part for his opposition towards the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Straus is a San Antonio native and a fifth-generation Texan.

Straus came from a widely known Republican Party family.

His mother, Jocelyn Levi Straus, was a Republican Party fundraiser and close friend of President George H. W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, during Bush's two U.S. Senate races and his bids for the White House.

Jocelyn also had a prominent role in the campaigns of John Tower in the 1970s.His father was a major player in the horseracing business in San Antonio.

Straus' family founded the Straus-Frank Saddlery Co. in San Antonio, which became a wholesale distribution business for guns and tires.

A graduate of Vanderbilt University, he has an insurance, investment, and executive benefit practice.

He was former spokesman for the Retama Development Corporation, a development company that built the Retama Racetrack in San Antonio, which was for betting on horse racing.

Straus has previously served on the Management Committee of the Bexar County Republican Party, as a precinct chairman, and on numerous campaign committees for federal, state, and local candidates.

With 10,362 votes (62.9 percent), he defeated opponent Matt Stewart Beebe (born 1973), who polled 6,108 ballots (37.1 percent).

In the November 6 general election, Straus faced no Democratic opponent and defeated the Libertarian nominee, Arthur M. Thomas, IV, 50,530 (80.2 percent) to 12,444 (19.8 percent).

In 1986, he was Campaign Manager in U.S. Representative Lamar S. Smith's first race for Congress.

From 1989 through 1991, he served in the administration of President George H. W. Bush as deputy director of Business Liaison at the U.S. Department of Commerce and, earlier under President Ronald Reagan, as Executive Assistant to the Commissioner of Customs.

Archconservative Tom Craddick of Midland was elected speaker of the House in 2003.

Over his tenure, he earned enemies for an autocratic style, freezing out Democrats and financing challengers to incumbents in both parties.

A Republican, he represented District 121, which comprises northeastern Bexar County, including parts of San Antonio and several surrounding communities, from his first election to the House in 2005 until his retirement in 2019.

Straus joined the House after winning a special election to replace District 121 state Representative Elizabeth Ames Jones in 2005.

Straus was renominated to the Texas House in the Republican primary held on May 29, 2012.

Straus was again renominated to the Texas House in the Republican primary held on March 4, 2014.

He received 9,224 votes (61.2 percent) to 5,842 (38.8 percent) for Matt Beebe, who again challenged the speaker.

In a campaign email, Judson invoked blamed a 2015 murder by a Mexican illegal immigrant on Straus; the email was criticized by Susan Pamerleau, who defended Straus, said that Judson's "use of a grieving father to accuse Joe Straus of a horrific murder committed by a career criminal is deplorable and irresponsible"; and said that "No one has done more to secure the border than" Straus.

Straus said that his record includes improvements in the water infrastructure, transportation, and public and higher education.

Straus was endorsed by the San Antonio Express-News, which hailed him as a "decent, effective leader [who] has focused on solving major problems that face the state, such as ... transportation and water" and noted that he successfully pushed to passage "conservative issues "on many fronts", including tough abortion restrictions, the defunding of Planned Parenthood, and the state's voter identification law. Straus's San Antonio colleague, Republican Lyle Larson, in a campaign letter to the San Antonio Express-News, praised the speaker as "not flashy, nor is he politically motivated.

He's just interested in getting the job done.

... [He] has led the Texas House in passing some of the most conservative and constructive legislation in Texas history ..." John Shields, a Republican former state representative and former member of the Texas State Board of Education, supported Judson.

Straus easily won the primary, receiving 15,737 votes (60.2 percent).

Judson trailed with 7,434 votes (28.5 percent), and Bean drew 2,956 (11.3 percent).

Straus then ran unopposed in the November 8 general election.

The San Antonio Express-News called Straus' victory a "big win" and a "big repudiation" to conservatives who had tried unsuccessfully to pin a liberal label on Straus in hopes of defeating him for his legislative seat and thereby removing him as the speaker.

The newspaper said Straus "treats everyone fairly, and that approach should be commended instead of condemned."

Two Tea Party movement candidates, Shelia Vernette Bean and former Olmos Park City Council member Jeff M. Judson, challenged Straus in the primary election on March 1, 2016.

Straus raised $8 million for his 2016 primary contest with Bean and Judson.

Judson, meanwhile, received a $50,000 contribution from a pastor and fracking entrepreneur, Farris Wilks of Cisco in Eastland County.

Earlier, Wilks and his younger brother, Dan Wilks, contributed $15 million to a super political action committee supporting Ted Cruz for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

Bean and Judson criticized Straus as having been insufficient aggressive in promoting anti-sanctuary cities legislation, abortion restrictions and school vouchers.

Judson also challenged Straus on property taxes in Texas, although Texas property taxes are set by municipal officials, not state officials such as Straus, and although Texas has no state income taxes.

He chose not to seek re-election to the state House in 2018.

During his career in the state House, Straus was a moderate, "business-friendly, country club Republican" who sometimes clashed with the party's social conservative wing.

Toward the end of his five terms as speaker, Straus faced opposition from more conservative factions within the Texas Republican Party, led by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who regarded Straus as insufficiently conservative, and another conservative group that spent millions of dollars in attempts to defeat Straus and allied state legislators in Republican primary elections.