Texas Insurance Commissioner David Mattax dies after fight with cancer

^{Editor's note: This story has been updated throughout.}

Texas Insurance Commissioner David Mattax died Thursday morning following a battle with cancer, according to Gov. Greg Abbott. He was 60.

Abbott, who first appointed Mattax to the position in 2015, said in a statement that Mattax "truly dedicated his life and career to the State of Texas."

"A brilliant lawyer whose loyalty to Texas never wavered, David was a doting son and brother who took great pride in mentoring young lawyers who would become the leaders of tomorrow," said Abbott, a former Texas attorney general. "David’s brilliance, wit, and wisdom will be dearly missed by all who knew him." 

Mattax had been a deputy to Abbott in the attorney general's office, where Mattax had worked for 23 years before becoming insurance commissioner. The Texas Department of Insurance is responsible for regulating the state's insurance industry.

The current attorney general, Ken Paxton, also praised Mattax on Thursday, saying in a statement that he "made everywhere he worked a better place and impacted the lives of the people with whom he worked."

It will be up to Abbott to appoint Mattax's successor. In the meantime, a number of deputies will lead the insurance department.

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• Mattax was first named insurance commissioner in 2015.