Gov. Rick Perry appointed Ted Houghton, owner of Houghton Financial Partners of El Paso, to be the new chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission, replacing Deirdre Delisi, who went to work on the presidential campaign.

J.P. Urrabazo joined Longbow Partners, an Austin-based lobby firm. He headed state relations for CenterPoint Energy and before that worked for Sen. Mario Gallegos, D-Houston.

Lawyer and lobster Royce Poinsett is joining the government relations group at Baker Botts. He was most recently at McGinnis Lochridge & Kilgore and worked for former Speaker Tom Craddick and for Gov. Rick Perry before that.

Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey Cantu is the new chairman of the Texas Border Coalition, and the next in line — the chairman-elect — is McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez.