Were the Republicans to actually make good on their “Win 10 in ’10″ goal for the November 2 elections, what changes could we expect to see on the House floor? How much difference does 10 actually make in a legislative body of 150 members? Enough to make Democrats understandably nervous.With many major issues facing Texas decision makers in the coming months, a 77-seat Republican House population may not sound like much less than an 87-seat majority, but outnumbered by 24 Representatives, Democrats would struggle to maintain an assertive voice on important causes. On the docket will be very influential discussions of immigration, as we have seen large scale controversy erupt to the West in Arizona, voter identification and the always pertinent budget concerns. With 87 seats, each of these issues would likely be voted on and passed with a noticeably Republican flair, great for GOP backers but concerning for the diminished donkey supporters.If Republicans do, in fact, make significant strides in the state House, look for a change to be made at the top of the legislative body. Current Speaker of the House, Joe Straus, though a Republican, is widely considered to be somewhat of a compromise for staunch party members, less socially conservative than some right wingers would ideally choose. Straus’ nomination can be traced back to the growing number of Democrats in the Texas House, reaching a narrow gap of 4 according to the latest figures. Still in a minority, Democrats were hard-pressed to find one of their own for the position, thus found it in their best interest to cast their influence towards the most agreeable member of the opposing party.A major victory would most likely spell the end of Straus speaker reign, replaced by a fellow Republican residing further right down the political spectrum.

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