November 24, 2014 11:38 AM

Legislative Conference names Straus the 2015 Texan of the Year

“The House is ready to come together for a productive session," Straus says.

The Texas Legislative Conference on Monday announced that House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, will be the 2015 Texan of the Year as he heads into the next legislative session. Past honorees include Barbara Jordan, Laura Bush, David Robinson, and John Connally. The award will actually be given to him in March.

In the Legislative Conference’s announcement, the group said Straus “led efforts in the last session to address the state’s severe water shortages” and they noted the passage of Proposition 1, the voter-approved measure to provide an estimated $1.7 billion additional annually for transportation.

Straus was introduced at a morning press conference at the Capitol by Rep. Doug Miller, R-New Braunfels, who said he and Straus have “been down a long road together" and have, at times, cried in their beer together. Miller praised not only Straus, but also his wife. "Julie and Joe are quite the team," Miller said. "Quite a family. Quite a leadership."

Straus said if you have to cry in your beer, "I can't think of a better place than New Braunfels to do that." The press conference was held on the Texas Senate side of the Capitol. So, Straus joked that that's the part of the building where he often receives a "friendlier" reception.