AUSTIN, Texas — Key leaders of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC) have thrown their support behind Dean Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) in her bid to become Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.
The endorsement from key caucus leaders follows a Capitol press conference where Thompson, the longest-serving Democrat in the House first elected in 1972, announced that she has already secured the necessary majority votes required to win the Speaker’s gavel when the Legislature convenes.
During the press conference, Thompson emphasized that her administration will focus squarely on constituent needs and bipartisan results. "We want to make sure that this legislature doesn't forget who brought us to the dance," Thompson stated, pointing to healthcare, public education, and infrastructure as immediate priorities. She stressed that House members will be expected to put their local districts first and deliver results across party lines.
MALC Chair State Rep. Ramón Romero Jr. (D-Fort Worth) praised Thompson’s decades of experience navigating the legislative chamber.
“I’ve had the honor and privilege of sitting next to and learning from the Dean of the Texas House of Representatives for the past two years,” Romero said. “Dean Thompson has served in the House since the year I was born and has worked alongside generations of legislators... That knowledge and experience are what make her one of the most qualified leaders the Texas House has ever seen.”
Romero added that Thompson’s priority remains the people of Texas, noting that she expects all representatives—regardless of party—to advocate for their home districts.
MALC Secretary State Rep. Armando “Mando” Martinez (D-Weslaco) highlighted the significance of Thompson’s leadership amid a transformative political shift in state government following the election of Gina Hinojosa as Texas’s first Latina Governor and Vikki Goodwin as Lieutenant Governor.
“For the first time, we have elected the first Latina Governor, the first female Lieutenant Governor, and are preparing to welcome the first African American woman to serve as Speaker of the Texas House,” Martinez said. “These historic milestones reflect the diversity of our state and demonstrate that leadership can come from every community and every background.”
Martinez noted that Thompson’s deep relationships and cross-aisle approach will ensure that key regional priorities—including strong public schools, healthcare access, safe neighborhoods, and infrastructure across South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley—remain central to the legislative agenda.
The push for the speakership comes in the wake of a Democratic majority in the Texas House, a milestone that few political observers anticipated heading into the election cycle.
Democrats needed a net gain of 14 seats to take control of the 150-member legislative body. Among the few figures who publicly predicted the flip was State Rep. Christina Morales (D-Houston), chair of the House Democrats Campaign Committee.
Speaking to the Rio Grande Guardian following a Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus hearing in McAllen, Morales maintained that "on a good day," Democrats possessed both the strategy and momentum to reclaim the House chamber despite gerrymandered district maps.
Morales pointed to a strategy of contesting all 150 House districts—a feat Texas Democrats had not accomplished in over 50 years—which built grassroots turnout and elevated voter engagement across rural, suburban, and urban communities alike. Drawing parallels to the 2018 midterm gains, Morales noted that internal modeling and an organized statewide campaign infrastructure laid the groundwork for the 14-seat pickup that ultimately paved the way for Thompson's Speaker bid.
