Texas News Joe Straus Censure Brightens the Line Between Texas’ Conservative and Moderate Republicans KWBU Published January 29, 2018 at 12:25 PM CST Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 5:23 Martin do Nascimento/KUT Joe Straus announced a new committee. The action by the State Republican Executive Committee has no impact on the House Speaker’s position, but it does remind GOP voters that Straus hasn’t been with conservatives on hot button social issues.