Texas House Republicans look to be favoring a NARAL favored for Speaker of the Texas House. #thisiswhywelose
LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas House Republicans are poised to show that the sanctity of unborn life is a matter they can compromise on in order to achieve legislative success on other issues in the coming Texas legislative session. The House Republicans are expected to choose a NARAL (National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League) favored candidate, current Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) over the pro-life challenger, Scott Turner (R-Frisco) in the race for Speaker of the Texas House. Pro-life Republicans make up a near two-thirds majority of the Texas House, which will take its first recorded vote when they convene on January 13, 2015 to select the Speaker of the House for the 84th Legislative Session. Straus is supported by House Democrats and pro-choice moderate Republicans, while Turner has been graded one of the most conservative members of the House, and has a reputation for supporting pro-life issues.
An accurate analysis of Straus’ record on pro-life issues requires going back several years, because since being elected Speaker in January 2009 he has not voted on any of the key bills that regulate abortion and related issues. Straus does, however, have votes that he took during the 2005 and 2007 sessions before becoming Speaker, as well as actions he has taken as Speaker on relevant legislation, that can be used to evaluate his record on abortion.
Among the votes that affect Straus’ score on pro-life issues is his vote for an amendment to a 2005 bill, SB 419, that would have made it easier to get a third trimester abortion and could have greatly expanded the authority of Texas abortion doctors. The original language of SB 419 allowed third trimester abortions only when the abortion was “necessary to prevent the death of the [mother]” or the fetus had a “severe, irreversible brain impairment.”
Read more: Breitbart
