Political People and their Moves

Jesse Ancira takes over as acting chief of staff to House Speaker Joe Straus on Texas Independence Day. Chief of Staff Denise Davis and Director of Policy and Budget Lisa Kaufman are leaving to form a law and lobby practice. Ancira, until now the general counsel, will fill in for now. 

Mark Miner, spokesman for Gov. Rick Perry and for his presidential campaign, is joining McGuireWoods Consulting's Austin office. He joins Luis Saenz, a former Perry campaign manager, in that operation. 

Deaths: Bobby Holt of Midland, a longtime support of Republicans in general and Bushes in particular. Holt served in a number of appointed positions, including the state's Public Safety Board, which oversees the state police; he was there under four different governors. Holt was 79.

Reggie Bashur, a well-regarded lobbyist and political and media consultant, after a fight with cancer. Bashur first appeared in Texas politics as a press aide to Bill Clements, the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. Over the years, he worked for most of the state's top Republicans and on any number of high-profile issues as a lobbyist and spokesperson. He was 59.