AUSTIN (KXAN) — When the new year starts, Senator Judith Zaffirini will start her role as Dean of the Texas Senate. Zaffirini will be the first woman to serve as Dean. She previously broke barriers when she was the first Mexican American woman elected to the Senate in 1986.
According to Zaffirini’s office, she will take over the role of Dean once former Senator John Whitmire resigns at the end of the year to become Mayor of Houston on January 1.
The role of the Dean is determined by seniority. Zaffirini said because the next three senators in seniority are male, it could have been a long time before another woman was in place to assume the deanship.
“Only 24 women have served in the Texas Senate with 952 men, including the four Democratic and four Republican women who serve today,” Senator Zaffirini said.
She said she is excited to serve the public in this new role but hopes this first is a reminder that more women are needed in public office.
“It’s very sad that it’s taken that long, and it’s very disappointing that we have had only 24 women in the Texas Senate. So we need more women to run for elected office and to win,” Zaffirini said.
[#item_full_content]