Updated 01/08/2013 01:14 PM
Rep. Joe Straus sworn in as Speaker of the House
Update-- Rep. Joe Straus was sworn into his third term as Speaker of the House Tuesday afternoon.
His reelection came shortly after his only opponent, Tea Party favorite Rep. David Simpson, withdrew his name from consideration.
Straus was first elected Speaker of the House in 2009.
Earlier-- Shortly after Tuesday’s gavel-in for the 83rd Texas Legislative Session, Tea Party favorite Rep. David Simpson withdrew his name from the Speaker’s race.
The announcement means the current Speaker of the House, Joe Straus, no longer faces a challenger.
This is Simpson's second term in the House. Last legislative session he made his mark as a
freshman with his controversial Transportation Security Administration anti-groping legislation, which never came to fruition.
Straus has been Speaker since 2009.