Former Texas state Sen. Kelly Hancock to become acting comptroller, run for permanent job

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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 Hancock, a North Richland Hills 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.”

Hancock resigned from the Legislature on Wednesday. A quirk in state law prohibited Gov. Greg Abbott from directly appointing Hancock comptroller. Senators — even former ones — cannot be appointed to another position that requires Senate confirmation during their term.

The state comptroller is responsible for managing the state’s money. Among the job’s biggest tasks are collecting taxes, estimating state revenue, and awarding and managing state contracts.

Entering the primary season as the interim will almost certainly give Hancock a leg up in a race that’s already getting crowded. Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick and former state Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas, are already in the race, and Huffines has been raking in endorsements — including one from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

Abbott was quick to endorse Hancock, in the process throwing an elbow at Huffines, who as a state senator lost his reelection bid to Democrat Nathan Johnson in 2018.

“I endorse Kelly Hancock because I want a candidate who will actually win the election, not someone who has already lost an election to a Democrat,” Abbott said in a statement.

Huffines also challenged Abbott in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary; Abbott drubbed him by 44 points.

Prior to serving in the Legislature, Hancock was a member of his local school board.

The state of Texas operates a $337 billion budget and rakes in more than a quarter trillion dollars of revenue from a variety of taxes, fees and assessments.

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