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Perry Appoints Buddy Garcia to Railroad Commission

Former Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Commissioner Buddy Garcia will fill a seat on the Railroad Commission that was vacated by Elizabeth Ames Jones, who is now a candidate for state Senate.

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It's a game of musical chairs: Gov. Rick Perry has appointed former Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Commissioner Buddy Garcia to the Railroad Commission seat vacated by Elizabeth Ames Jones, who is running for state Senate. 

Garcia served on the TCEQ board from 2007 until August 2011. His replacement, former Perry policy adviser Toby Baker, was named in March. 

Garcia replaces Jones, who resigned in February after weeks of defending her move to San Antonio to challenge Sen. Jeff Wentworth in the Republican primary. Her resignation put to rest questions about whether she could remain in office without residing in the state capital.

“I’m delighted Gov. Perry has appointed Buddy Garcia to serve on the Texas Railroad Commission," Jones said a statement. "Buddy will do a fine job and I stand ready to assist him in any way possible.”

Garcia, who will join Republican commissioners David Porter and Barry Smitherman, is a past Texas deputy secretary of state and the state's former border commerce coordinator. 

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