Latest news with #Huffines
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Huffines Backed by Gaines, Kirk In ‘DOGE Texas' Comptroller Race
Riley Gaines, a national advocate for protecting women's sports from 'transgender' participation, has endorsed Don Huffines for Texas Comptroller in a video posted to X. She was quickly joined by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who called Huffines 'Ron Paul meets Donald Trump.' 'This is a spiritual battle,' Gaines said, praising Huffines for opposing DEI and gender identity programs in government spending. 'He's been calling this out long before it was politically convenient.' In the 90-second video, Gaines calls the Comptroller role 'the CFO of Texas,' with the power to defund what she described as 'anti-American hatred' funded through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. She urged Texans who care about protecting children, parental rights, and women's sports to rally behind Huffines. Huffines responded: 'Thank you, Riley! You're absolutely right, this is a spiritual battle. I'm honored to have your support as we DOGE Texas and expose the taxpayer-funded DEI and transgender madness infecting government.' Charlie Kirk also posted his endorsement on X: As The Dallas Express previously reported, Huffines is campaigning on his DOGE Texas platform—Dedicated to Optimizing Government Efficiency—with a focus on exposing waste, fraud, and abuse in state government and directing savings to property tax relief. The former state senator and Dallas businessman has pledged $10 million of his own money to the race and has secured endorsements from Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Right to Life, and Vivek Ramaswamy. His main Republican primary opponent, Railroad Commission Chair Christi Craddick, is backed by major energy sector donors. Craddick emphasizes regulatory experience, while Huffines casts himself as an outsider determined to shake up state government. With endorsements from high-profile conservative voices and grassroots influencers alike, Huffines is positioning his campaign as a cultural and fiscal reckoning—one that aims to root out waste, defund 'woke' spending, and restore accountability in Austin.
CBS News
17-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Candidates jump into Texas comptroller race 18 months before election
The 2026 Texas elections are are already underway, at least in one race. One of the top statewide offices, the Texas comptroller, will not have an incumbent running for reelection next year. Glenn Hegar, the current Texas comptroller will step down in the coming months because he will assume the position of chancellor of Texas A&M University System. Earlier this month, the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents voted unanimously to make Hegar the sole finalist for the position. "The Board is confident that Glenn Hegar is ready to usher in the next era of excellence at The Texas A&M University System," said Bill Mahomes, chairman of the Board of Regents. "Hegar grasps the unique breadth and depth of the System's impact on every corner of Texas through its eight state agencies and 11 universities. We, as members of the Board of Regents, are eager to see what he will accomplish." Hegar will replace outcoung Chancellor John Sharp, who has been in the role for 14 years. Hegar received his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M in 1993 before becoming a lawyer. He represented the Houston area in the Texas House and Senate before being elected as state comptroller in 2014 and reelected in 2018 and 2022. "The Texas A&M University System will remain focused on our core values, increasing and improving student experiences, and expanding economic opportunities and services across our system and our state. Leadership matters, and I embrace this duty with deep commitment and respect," Hegar said in a statement after the announcement. It is not yet clear when Hegar will officially step down from his post to begin his new job at Texas A&M. When he does, Gov. Greg Abbott will appoint someone to fill the rest of the comptroller's term. Soon after the university's announcement, two people active in state Republican politics announced they will run for Texas comptroller in 2026. Christi Craddick, the incumbent chair of the Texas Railroad Commission, announced her candidacy, touting her experience on the commission as an asset. "Throughout my tenure at the Commission, we have managed our work with efficiency, transparency, and common sense, reflecting the bedrock principles the Texas economy has been built upon, and our commitment to the principles of a free market have helped our economy thrive. At the heart of all good government, good business and fiscal responsibility is one simple fact: Don't spend money you don't have," Craddick said in a statement. Don Huffines, a businessman and former Republican state senator, also announced a run and pledged to spend $10 million on his campaign. Huffines said he will bring DOGE to Texas, referring to Elon Musk's effort to slash the federal workforce and government spending. "The state of Texas spends more than $450 million a day, seven days a week. Right no, wasteful spending runs unchecked—Texans deserve a watchdog, not a rubber stamp," Huffines said in a statement. Huffines served in the state Senate from 2015-2019, representing a district in northern Dallas County. He unsuccessfully challenged Gov. Abbott in the Republican primary for governor in 2022. The comptroller, officially the Comptroller of Public Accounts, is the state's chief financial officer. The agency collects taxes and fees owed to the state, pays the state's bills and awards contracts on behalf of state agencies. In addition, the office issues reports on the state of the economy, provides guidance on tax laws and administers programs like the Texas College Savings Plan, according to its website .
