Vol 31, Issue 10 Print Issue

The Week in the Rearview Mirror

Harvey Hilderbran withdrew from the May 27 GOP runoff election for comptroller, leaving Glenn Hegar, who won 49.99 percent of the vote, his party's nominee for the statewide office. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst chose not to withdraw from the GOP lite guv runoff contest against Dan Patrick despite his disappointing second-place finish and calls from other Republicans to give up the contest.

The first Rasmussen Reports poll of the Texas gubernatorial race showed GOP nominee Greg Abbott with a 12-point lead among likely voters over Democratic nominee Wendy DavisA University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll of registered voters last month found Abbott with an 11-point advantage over Davis. Meanwhile, the two exchanged barbs on the campaign trail this week over ethics and fair pay for women.

The University of Texas System contracted with a national executive search firm, Wheless Partners, to help with the search for a new chancellor. UT-Austin President Bill Powers indicated he would be okay with Kyle Janek as chancellor should he be chosen by the board of regents. It's been widely reported that Janek, currently the HHS executive commissioner, is Gov. Rick Perry's favored candidate to replace Francisco Cigarroa, who is stepping down to resume his surgical career.

A collection of business trade groups launched the Main Street Growth & Opportunity Coalition, which is aimed at pushing for federal action on tax reform and immigration reform. Leaders of the effort in Texas include Bill Hammond of the Texas Association of Business and Tony Bennett of the Texas Association of Manufacturers.

After more than two decades as the president of the University of Texas at Brownsville, Juliet García decided not to apply for the presidency of the institution that her school will soon become: the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley.

Disclosure: At the time of publication, the University of Texas at Austin and the Texas Association of Business were corporate sponsors of The Texas Tribune. (See the full list of Tribune donors below $1,000 here.) 

Political People and their Moves

Mary Ann Williamson of Weatherford was named by Gov. Rick Perry to the Texas Lottery Commission for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2017. Williamson, the widow of Perry friend and ally Ric Williamson, was most recently an appointee to the Texas Water Development Board, from which she resigned in January. She returns to the Lottery Commission, where she served as chairwoman for a time.

Jake Ellzey of Midlothian was named by Perry to the Texas Veterans Commission for a term to expire Dec. 31, 2017. Ellzey most recently was a candidate for the GOP nomination in HD-10. He was the only candidate for the House to receive Perry's endorsement.

Sada Cumber of Sugar Land was named by Perry to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for a term to expire Aug. 31, 2015.

Albert Betts takes over as executive director of the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) on April 1. He replaces Rick Gentry, who is retiring after 17 years as the association’s manager. Betts has been ICT general counsel since 2009. He also was a partner in the Austin office of Thompson Coe Cousins & Irons, LLP and was before that Texas' first commissioner of workers’ compensation.

The field is now set for the May 10 special election in SD-4 to fill the seat left empty when Tommy Williams resigned last October. The four-man field is:

•    State Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe

•    State Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands

•    Michael Galloway, who represented SD-4 from 1995-99 and was a candidate for the seat in 2002 and 2012

•    Gordy Bunch, member of The Woodlands Township board of directors

Early voting begins April 28.

Disclosure: At the time of publication, the Insurance Council of Texas was a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune in 2011. (See the full list of Tribune donors below $1,000 here.)