Texas state Sen. Kelly Hancock to become acting comptroller, run for permanent job
By Zach Despart and Alejandro Serrano
Republican state Sen. Kelly Hancock launched his campaign for state comptroller Thursday shortly after taking a senior position at the comptroller’s office.
His appointment as chief clerk to Comptroller Glenn Hegar paves the way for Hanock, a North Richland Hill Republican, to become interim comptroller after Hegar leaves his office in June. And it gives Hancock an edge in a growing Republican primary race next year.
“Kelly is a great fit to serve as the chief financial officer of Texas,” Hegar said in a statement, who is stepping down to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. “As a long-serving member of the Texas Legislature, he helped shape sound financial policy and authored the state’s conservative spending cap legislation”
Hegar added that Hancock is honest, trustworthy, and an “all-around good guy.”
Hancock, in a statement, cited his conservative bona fides on border security, noting he was one of the first Republican senators to call for ending in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants, which the state did earlier this month.
“For over a decade, I’ve fought for Texas taxpayers in the Legislature, cutting red tape, passing conservative budget reforms, and holding government accountable,” Hancock said in his campaign announcement. “As Comptroller, I’ll make sure your tax dollars are spent wisely, transparently, and responsibly.”
Read more at The Texas Tribune.
