Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, was elected speaker of the Texas House on Tuesday, concluding a bitter and intense power struggle within the Republican Party that came down to an extraordinary floor vote to decide who would fill one of the most powerful positions in state government.

In a dramatic two-ballot vote Tuesday, Republican state Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock clinched the title of speaker of the Texas House.

Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock, left, joined by his wife, Elizabeth, and their children is sworn in by Secretary of State Jane Nelson after being voted in the the House speaker position on the opening day of the legislative session. Michael Minasi / KUT News

He told Republicans and Democrats in the House chamber, "I commit to you today every member, every member will have a voice and every district, every district will have a seat at

Rep. Dustin Burrows is elected Texas House Speaker, winning with support from Democrats, amid GOP internal tensions.

The trial lawyer from Lubbock has served in the House since 2015, slowly building his stature and overcoming a scandal in 2019.

Although Democrats will be prohibited from chairing the main legislative committees, the chamber voted to expand the powers they can have as vice chairs.

The Texas House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to ban Democrats from holding powerful committee chairmanships, answering years of mounting pressure from leadership and grassroots conservatives to chip away at the power of the minority party in the Capitol.