The Houston Chronicle reports on the Tea Party’s legislative successes in Texas – a state where it rules the roost like in no other.  If you have any doubts about whether the Tea Party is running (some say ruining) this state, this article will disabuse you of that notion.   Only Joe Strauss and some House comrades stand in the way of ceding complete control of Texas to extreme conservatives.

Before 2009, the tea party was more like a tea brunch. The movement that has found such success in Texas, unlike arguably anywhere else in the country, brought its six years of work at the local level to Austin.

At a Wednesday rally at the Capitol, conveniently on Tax Day, the first-ever statewide gathering of local tea party groups took pride in their legislative gains that have remade Texas politics and have launched – and killed – many politicians’ careers.

Rep. Jonathan Stickland, the Bedford Republican who was introduced at the rally as “the No.1 conservative,” went on his usual tirade against House leadership. He seemed less of a legislator and more of a kingmaker as he introduced several new Republican lawmakers, mostly in the Senate, who have yanked the upper chamber to the right this session.

“This session, so far, has been filled with great things” in the Senate, Strickland said. “Conservative legislation is dying every single minute that ticks by.” There are about 47 days left in the legislative session before lawmakers go home until 2017, barring a Gov. Greg Abbott-called special session.