Lifestyle
Texas Politics 101: Who Represents the Lone Star State?
During this election season, we tend to get tangled up in national debates and arguments, but how well do Texans know our state leaders? It’s time for a little Texas politics 101. Know who represents you!
Governor: Greg Abbott (Republican)
Photo: Flickr/Gage Skidmore
Greg Abbott’s long career as a Texas leader began back in 1993 as a trial judge before winning a seat on the Supreme Court of Texas in 1996. He also served for 12 years as the Texas Attorney General and recently was elected as Texas Governor in 2014 after former governor, Rick Perry, ended his Texas political dominance to run for president of the United States the same year.
Lieutenant Governor: Dan Patrick (Republican)
Photo: Flickr/Gage Skidmore
Dan Patrick has been a political figure in Texas since 2006 when he won his first Texas Senate seat. In 2014, Lt. Gov. Patrick won the Republican primary election for lieutenant governor via run-off. Despite the tight primary race, Patrick went on to win the general election with nearly 60% of the vote. Patrick has also built a reputation as an “iron man” of sorts. During his 7 years in the Texas Senate, Patrick only missed one day while voting in all but six of the 13,000 votes.
Comptroller of Public Accounts: Glenn Hegar (Republican)
Photo: YouTube
Comptroller Hegar began his Texas political career in 2002 when he was elected to the Texas house. He has also served two terms in the Texas senate before being elected as Comptroller in 2014. One of Hegar’s greatest achievements happened during his time as chairman of the Sunset Advisory Commission where his primary role was to limit waste in government spending. During that time he eliminated six Texas state agencies saving an estimated $160 million in taxpayer money.
Attorney General: Ken Paxton (Republican)
Photo: kenpaxton.com
A graduate of Baylor, Ken Paxton served in the Texas House of Representatives and the State Senate since 2002. There, Paxton was a co-sponsor for Texas’ voter ID-Bill, which has been a source of great debate both nationally and locally. He also earned his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Texas General Land Office: George P. Bush (Republican)
Photo: Flickr/Gage Skidmore
Commissioner Bush is the grandson of President H.W. Bush, and nephew of President George W. Bush, and is a new figure to Texas State politics. He is serving his first term in public office after winning in 2014. He is a Texas boy through and through, having earned his B.A. from Rice and his Juris Doctorate from University of Texas School of Law. He has also worked as a public school teacher and served in Afghanistan as an officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve.
Texas Department of Agriculture: Sid Miller (Republican)
Photo: Facebook/Sid Miller
At the end of the day, Sid Miller may be the most Texan of Texans out of the bunch. He is a world champion cowboy and recently won his 9th title. Commissioner Miller also served as an educator and the chairman of the Texas House Agriculture and Livestock Committee. He has been an elected representative in Texas since 2000.
Texas Railroad Commission: Christi Craddick (R), David Porter (R), Ryan Sitton (R)
Christi Craddick is serving her first term as an elected state official. She has a long history as an oil, gas, water, tax, electric energy and environmental policy attorney. Commissioner Craddick earned her B.A. and Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas. She also has experience with the department in 1994 when she worked in the legal department.
David Porter has held this position since 2010, and his term expires this year. One of Porter’s greatest achievements while in office was establishing the Eagle Ford Shale Task Force. The group’s goal is to connect local leaders, the community, environmental groups, and others to open a dialogue about drilling activities in the area. Porter was also appointed to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission.
Ryan Sitton was elected to the commission in 2014 but was defeated in 2012 in a bid to represent District 24 in the Texas House. Commissioner Sitton has been recognized as one of the most influential leaders under 40 and currently owns PinnacleART, a company recognized as one of the fastest growing, privately held companies in the world.
With Texas as a leader in the U.S. in many different ways, whether energy development, agriculture, or technology we may find our local leaders are just as important as our national leaders. To find out more about who represents you and Texas upcoming elections visit the Texas Secretary of State’s website.