Texas House Speaker Joe Straus said Wednesday that he has enough support for another term and believes the race for speaker is over.
Straus, a moderate Republican from San Antonio, has released the names of 122 lawmakers who he said have pledged him their vote for speaker.
He is being challenged by Rep. Warren Chisum, a more conservative Republican, who said Wednesday that the race is not over.
Straus said he feels "very good about the support I have from the Republican caucus" with pledges of support from 79 of the 99 elected Republicans.
Chisum, a Republican from Pampa, told reporters Wednesday he'd like a closed GOP caucus meeting where Republicans can decide which speaker candidate to support before the House vote is held in January.
Democrats provided a large part of Straus' support when he was elected in 2009.
After Tuesday's election, Republican upped their slim House majority by more than 20 seats, giving them a stronger say in the speakership.
Politics
Politics from around the world.
Chisum said as speaker he wants to pass a measure similar to parts of the controversial Arizona law cracking down on illegal immigration.
