FORT WORTH, Texas — Democratic state representatives in Texas are seeking a new leader.
And in the current political climate, the job is daunting.
“After last session, we don’t spend a lot of time talking to one another anymore. And it happened over one session,” state Rep. Ramon Romero, Jr. said on Inside Texas Politics.
Inside Texas Politics turned to Romero from Fort Worth to find out what kind of qualities Democrats are looking for in their next leader.
He says that person must be able to work with Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan.
“We know we’re going to lose. We don’t expect to go down there and pass all of our priorities. But we don’t want to lose by 50 points. And that’s really important,” he said. “It’s important that this leader is able to convey that to the Speaker and the Speaker respect him or her. And in respecting him or her, respects all of us as a caucus.”
Watch the segment below:
State Rep. Chris Turner, a Democrat from Arlington, announced last month that he would not seek another term as chair of the House Democratic Caucus, which he first took over in 2017.
But no other lawmakers have formally entered the race yet.
Romero says whoever runs can’t forget they’re a Democrat and they must create a plan and get membership behind it.
And he says they’ll have to find a way to navigate the lack of unity in the Texas House.
“Anyone who says that we’re not like Washington needs to spend more time in Austin and realize we’re as close to D.C. as, they might as well be our neighbor,” said Romero.