Dem-friendly Republican's Texas speakership begins with homosexual engagement, Islamic rejection of Bible

Leftism was on full display in the Texas Capitol earlier this week during the first legislative session since 2023.

Perhaps the most notable moment came when a Democrat-friendly Republican became the Texas speaker, even though Republicans in the state House enjoy a sizeable majority.

'I had the honor of taking my oath of office to represent House District 92 for the second time on a historic Qur’an.'

After just two rounds of voting, state Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) soundly defeated Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield), 85-55. Most of Burrows' votes came from Democrats, 46 to 39, even though the Texas House is made up of 88 Republicans and 62 Democrats.

"Every member. Every member will have a voice," Burrows said after his victory. "Every district. Every district will have a seat at the table."

Burrows replaces Rep. Dade Phelan, a controversial Republican who not only was seen as favoring Democrats and Democrat causes but who was even censured by his own party after doggedly seeking the impeachment of Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Paxton, who lobbied on behalf of Cook in the 2025 speaker race, issued a statement after Burrows was declared the winner.

The removal of the disgraced and corrupt Dade Phelan as Speaker of the House is a positive step for Texas. His close ally, Dustin Burrows, was elected with the support of most Democrats after he refused to honor the rules of the Republican Caucus.

Texas Republican voters made it clear they want conservative legislation to pass this session. It is now important that Speaker Burrows and his leadership team pass every conservative legislative priority in a timely manner to make [our] state more secure and more prosperous. That is what Texas Republicans expect.

The election of Burrows was not the only demonstration of leftism on Tuesday. Shortly after he was sworn in to office, Rep. Venton Jones (D-Dallas) proposed to his same-sex partner, Gregory Scott Jr., on the floor of the chamber. According to NBC News, Jones got down on one knee, and Scott shed tears as he accepted the engagement ring.

Jones, the first openly gay black member of the state House, also shared the news in a public statement. "Today, I took a renewed oath to serve my community with courage, conviction, and love. I made a promise to the person who has stood beside me through every step of this journey," Jones said.

"In a time when our love and our very existence are challenged, often in the halls of this very building, this moment is a reminder that love conquers all."

One of Jones' Democrat colleagues, Salman Bhojani — a Muslim native of Pakistan — celebrated the new legislative session for a different reason: Once again, he took the oath of office on the Quran rather than the Bible.

"I had the honor of taking my oath of office to represent House District 92 for the second time on a historic Qur’an. This sacred text inspires me to work across the aisle to make Texas better. As the 89th Legislative Session starts, I am committed to advocating for all," Bhojani posted to X, adding a picture captured of the moment.

Tuesday marked the second time that Bhojani has sworn in on a Quran, having first done so two years ago. "It is 217 years old. I am the first person that swore on the Quran. This was the first English-printed copy of the Quran in the Americas in ... history," he previously boasted during an online interview with Progress Texas.

H/T: Jason Whitely

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!