Rep. Orr: "Apres moi, le deluge," by any chance?

As the landslide for Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, to become speaker gains momentum, it’s almost impossible to keep up with the numbers that support him. Since the 11.30am press conference today, Straus has already picked up two more votes, bringing him to 96.

So now it’s not how many but who, and the big surprise is Rep. Rob Orr, R-Burleson. Why the shock? Because Orr was pledged to Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, the last remaining roadblock for Straus. The only question now seems to be whether Smithee will bow out gracefully and get on board the bipartisan bus, or force an election on opening day of the session with only a conservative rump behind him.

This article appears in 2008.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.