Texas has a powerful new House speaker in a blow to the GOP's hard right

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A push by Texas' hard right to widen control in the state Capitol fell short Tuesday after House lawmakers rejected its choice for the powerful speakership amid a Republican feud accelerated by the historic impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Instead, new House Speaker Dustin Burrows won the job with the support of Democrats, who favored him over a challenger backed by the GOP's emboldened right.

The outcome is a victory for Texas Republicans' establishment wing, and it’s possible that Democrats could still lose influence under the new leadership. The race deepened divisions within the GOP, partly driven by Republicans who say an agenda that includes some of the toughest laws in the U.S. over abortion and immigration doesn't go far enough.

“He’s a leader who will at least have a conversation," Democratic state Rep. Toni Rose said in a nomination speech for Burrows.

Burrows was challenged by state Rep. David Cook, who pledged to block Democrats from running committees in the House — a longstanding bipartisan tradition in a chamber that has historically been a more moderate balance to the hard-right-leaning Senate.

Burrows will lead one of the state’s highest offices after a dramatic bowing-out of the former House speaker, Dade Phelan, who lost favor with the hard-right faction of his party after Paxton's impeachment. The state Senate ultimately acquitted Paxton, who in recent weeks campaigned against Republicans who sought to deny Cook’s victory.

The newly elected speaker has few ideological distinctions between himself and Cook, but his opponent came to be the choice of some Republicans who believe Democrats have too much control over the House.

The House’s failure to approve taxpayer funds for private schools in 2023 also intensified Republican squabbles in the run-up to November’s elections, when Republicans expanded their already commanding majority and gained ground on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Texas in recent years has passed some of the nation’s toughest restrictions on abortion, immigration and voting. Republicans this year have proposed bans on public funds for gender-affirming care for adults and giving in-state college tuition for students without legal status in the U.S.

This story has been edited to clarify that Democrats, not Burrows, could still lose influence.

Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, addresses the members after being named speaker of the house during opening day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)

Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, addresses the members after being named speaker of the house during opening day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)

Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, left, is sworn in as speaker with wife Elizabeth and Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson during opening day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)

Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, right, waits results in the speaker race with former Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, during opening day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)

Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, votes for himself for speaker during opening day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)

Texas state Rep. Jay Dean, R-Longview, at left, former Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, celebrate Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, winning the speakership during opening day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)

Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, during opening day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)

Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, addresses the members after being named speaker of the house during opening day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)

Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, addresses the members after being named speaker of the house during opening day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. flu infections showed signs of a slight decline last week, but health officials say it is not clear that this severe flu season has peaked.

New government data posted Friday — for flu activity through last week — showed declines in medical office visits due to flu-like illness and in the number of states reporting high flu activity.

However, some measures show this season is already surpassing the flu epidemic of last winter, one of the harshest in recent history. And experts believe there is more suffering ahead.

“This is going to be a long, hard flu season,” New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, in a statement Friday.

One type of flu virus, called A H3N2, historically has caused the most hospitalizations and deaths in older people. So far this season, that is the type most frequently reported. Even more concerning, more than 91% of the H3N2 infections analyzed were a new version — known as the subclade K variant — that differs from the strain in this year’s flu shots.

The last flu season saw the highest overall flu hospitalization rate since the H1N1 flu pandemic 15 years ago. And child flu deaths reached 289, the worst recorded for any U.S. flu season this century — including that H1N1 “swine flu” pandemic of 2009-2010.

So far this season, there have been at least 15 million flu illnesses and 180,000 hospitalizations, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. It also estimates there have been 7,400 deaths, including the deaths of at least 17 children.

Last week, 44 states reported high flu activity, down slightly from the week before. However, flu deaths and hospitalizations rose.

Determining exactly how flu season is going can be particularly tricky around the holidays. Schools are closed, and many people are traveling. Some people may be less likely to see a doctor, deciding to just suffer at home. Others may be more likely to go.

Also, some seasons see a surge in cases, then a decline, and then a second surge.

For years, federal health officials joined doctors' groups in recommending that everyone 6 months and older get an annual influenza vaccine. The shots may not prevent all symptoms but can prevent many infections from becoming severe, experts say.

But federal health officials on Monday announced they will no longer recommend flu vaccinations for U.S. children, saying it is a decision parents and patients should make in consultation with their doctors.

“I can’t begin to express how concerned we are about the future health of the children in this country, who already have been unnecessarily dying from the flu — a vaccine preventable disease,” said Michele Slafkosky, executive director of an advocacy organization called Families Fighting Flu.

“Now, with added confusion for parents and health care providers about childhood vaccines, I fear that flu seasons to come could be even more deadly for our youngest and most vulnerable," she said in a statement.

Flu is just one of a group of viruses that tend to strike more often in the winter. Hospitalizations from COVID-19 and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, also have been rising in recent weeks — though were not diagnosed nearly as often as flu infections, according to other federal data.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

FILE - Pharmacy manager Aylen Amestoy administers a patient with a seasonal flu vaccine at a CVS Pharmacy in Miami, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)