This newsletter marks the 100th edition of Texas Politics Today, which I started in January of 2017 with no thought it would last this long. My goal then was to keep up with work and life transitions for those of us who work in and around the Capitol. I hope you continue to keep up through this newsletter.

Shortly, we'll be introducing a premium subscription newsletter with more timely updates, sometimes daily, when appropriate, lobby registrations and terminations, political and election news as well as news from the regular newsletter. The free version will still be available, but the premium newsletter will have more information and will be more timely. Stay tuned for details on how to subscribe!

Finally, I took some time off, post-session, so I've included both July and August birthdays.

Around the Capitol / On the Move

Texans for Lawsuit Reform recently announced board and staff changes: :

Dick Trabulsi, Co-Founder of TLR, has retired after more than 30 years;

Alan Hassenflu and Joe Popolo stepped down from the TLR board; and

Ryan Dumais has been promoted to VP of Operations.

The following legislators have announced their re-election campaigns:

• Rep. Stan Gerdes
• Rep. Erin Gamez
• Rep. Richard Raymond
• Rep. Jeff Barry
• Rep. Marc LaHood
• Rep. Nate Schatzline
• Rep. Rhetta Bowers
• Rep. Trey Wharton
• Rep. Jessica Gonzalez
• Rep. Eddie Morales
• Rep. Todd Hunter
• Sen. Charles Schwertner

The following members have announced they will not seek re-election and will either retire or pursue other opportunities:

• Rep. Giovanni Caprigolione
• Rep. Jolanda Jones has announced her candidacy for U.S. Congressional District 18, the seat vacated by the death of Fmr. Rep., US Rep. and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.
• Rep. Steve Toth has announced his bid for Congress against Rep. Dan Crenshaw.
• Rep. Trent Ashby has announced his campaign for the retiring Sen. Robert Nichols’ seat.
• Rep. David Cook has announced he's running for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Brian Birdwell.
• Rep. Dennis Paul has announced he will run to replace Sen. Mayes Middleton, who is running for Attorney General.
• Tony Tinderholt has announced a run for the Tarrant County Commissioners Court.

• Sen. Robert Nichols has announced his retirement after 20 years in the Senate.
• Sen. Brian Birdwell has announced he will not seek re-election.
• Fmr. Sen. Kelly Hancock became the acting comptroller with the departure of Frm. Sen. and Comptroller Glenn Hegar to Texas A&M University as Chancellor, and has announced his candidacy for a full term.
• Sen. Nathan Johnson has announced his campaign for Attorney General.
• Sen. Mayes Middleton has announced he will run for Attorney General.



Frm. Rep. Kyle Kacal has been appointed interim Brazos County Judge.

Carlos Garth, recently started as the General Counsel in the Capitol office of Sen. Royce West.

Matthew Posey has started a new job at the Texas Senate.

Texas Politics Today is produced and sponsored by Arnold Public Affairs, an Austin-based public affairs and lobby firm working with corporate and non-profit organizations. Jim Arnold, Ellen Arnold and Rea Motiwala

Be sure to send us news of departures, promotions, births, marriages and other milestones, so we can share it with the Capitol community!

Information can be sent to jim@arnoldpublicaffairs.com or text at 512-431-5385

Lobby/Association/Other

Cody Pyke recently started as the Health Care Associate Attorney at Polsinelli. He previously was the Policy Director and General Counsel for Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons.

Evelyn Delgado is now the advisor to the Chief Executive Officer at Healthy Futures of Texas, as she transitions soon to retirement.

Jeff Emerick is the Director of Government Affairs at the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Previously he worked with the Texas Association of Business and as a House staffer.

Ethan Haywood is now the Account Executive at Pelican Campaigns. Most recently he was the LD for Rep. Emilio DeAyala.

Warren von Eschenbach. longtime Senate staffer, is the new President of the University of North Texas at Dallas.

Cameron Shepherd is the new Director of Government Relations at the Texas Health Care Association. Previously, he worked as LD for Rep. David Cook.

Don Forse has been named Director of Government Services for CTEH, LLC. Previously, he was the Director of Business Development and Government Relations at Ceres Environmental Services.

Greg Cox is the Executive Director of Texas Christian University’s Office of Government Relations. Previously, Cox worked at the Lower Colorado River Authority, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and the Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

Monty Wynn has been promoted to Executive Director for the Texas Municipal League.

Shannon Leigh Perry added a new position, Communications Director, to her present position, Deputy Legislative Director, for Sen. Bob Hall. .

J.R. Johnson has joined Butler Snow LLP. Previously, he was the Executive Director of the Texas Ethics Commission.

Shana Horton has started a new position as Manager of Enforcement for the Texas Reliability Entity, Inc. Previously she was Corporate Counsel for ERCOT.

State Agencies

Dylan Castro has left the Texas Attorney General’s office and is working now as a fundraising consultant.

Texas A&M Chancellor Glenn Hegar recently announced staff changes:

• Susan Ballabina is the Executive Vice Chancellor of the Texas A&M System. Previously she served as chief of staff for General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III, president of Texas A&M University
• Chris Bryan is the System’s Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications. He most recently led the Communications and Information Services Department at the Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Ryan Griffin is Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer at the System. Griffin joins the System from Cheniere Energy, Inc.
• Korry Castillo is the Chief Strategy Officer for the A&M System. Previously, she worked as Hegar’s Associate Deputy Comptroller for Operations and Support.
• Kim Buzard is joining the A&M System and is Hegar's longtime executive assistant.
• Nikki Cobb is Vice Chancellor of Government Relations. Previously, Cobb led the Government Affairs and Programs Department at the Comptroller’s Office.

Executive Director of TDCJ, Brian Collier has announced his retirement after 40 years of public service, effective August 31st.

Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner, Stephanie Muth will step down from her role at DFPS effective today.

Fmr. Rep. John Zerwas has been named the sole finalist for UT system Chancellor.

Texas Tech University System Chancellor Tedd Mitchell recently announced he will step down from his position at the end of the year.

Birthdays

Note: If you'd like your birthday listed and we aren't friends on FB, email me and I'll make sure it's included.

July

1-Fmr. Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, Jay Arnold, Austin Osborn, Harrison Salter

2-Ana Ramon, Darren Whitehurst, Don Garner, Birk Wilkison, Carolyn Merchan Saegert

3-Andy Cates, Dave Carney, Ray Sullivan, Carter Headrick, Jennifer Carter

4- Mark Wiggins,

5-Nelson Jarrin, Ryan Brannon, Stephen Brown, Rep. David Cook, Kyle Jackson, Lloyd Wilson

6-Micah Rodriguez, Gardner Selby, Michaela Bennett, Emily Love

7-Rep. Philip Cortez, Riley Stinnett, Reed Clay, Fmr. Rep. John Davis, Richard Armey

8-Caroline Dickerson Kunkel, Hector Gutierrez, Leslie Ward, Amanda Arriaga

9-Lindsey Linder

10-Gene Acuna, Brittney Baldovino, Rep. Paul Dyson

11- Boyd L. Richie

13-Rep. Sam Harless, Jonathon McClellan, Debbie Reyes, Bill Lauderback

14-Fmr. Rep. Doug Miller, Wayne Roberts, Richard Seline, Fmr. Rep. Melissa Noriega, Andrew Fuller

15-Fmr. Rep. Celia Israel, Fmr. Rep. Bruce Gibson, Jessica Hale Allen

16-Fmr. Rep. James White, Mireya Zapata, Rusty Kelly, Bo Gilbert, Rep. Josey Garcia, MaKayla Arthur

17-Sylvia Praesel, Whitney Broughton

18- Rep. Suleman Lalani, Odus Evbagharu, Chris Tomlinson

19-Chris Cutrone, Jody Richardson, Roger Miller

20-Ryan Marquess, Monty Exter, Debra Guilford Richmond, Jackie King, June Deadrick, Velma Cruz, Donna Nelson, Rep. Katrina Pierson

21-Sen. Bryan Hughes, Brady Vaughn, Ryan Alter, Solomon Ortiz Jr.

22-Rep. Rhetta Bowers, Rep. Gary Gates, Ben Utley, Catie Cooper, Jarrett Hill

23-Greg Macksood

24-Jennifer Sarver, Geoff Connor, Nick Eastwood

25-Courtney Hoffman

26-Dustin Meador, Colby Nichols, Ana Correa, Jason Steele, Morgan Hendon

27-Frm. Rep. Hugh Shine, Ashley Storm Ruleman, David Emerick, Braden Hand, Alex Meade, Lou Ann McKinney

28-Dinah Welsh, Barry McBee, Rep. Mihaela Plesa, Matt Garcia, Jordan Nicole Wat

29-Nick James, Mary Elen Williams, David Holmes, Julie Williams

31-Mark Ellison, Scott Hutchinson

August

1 -- Rep Terry Meza, Emily Ainsworth Howell, Jesse Lewis

2 -- Hugh Brady, Fmr. Sen. Kent Caperton, Sam Nancarrow

3 -- Jay Rosser

4 -- Noe Barrios, Diana Rivera

5 -- Robert McVey, Yvonne Barton, Marian Wallace, Sen Brandon Creighton

6 -- Fmr. Rep Shawn Thierry

8 -- Kelsey Bernstein, Kym Olsen, Luis Gonzalez, Ellen Arnold, Rep. Morgan Meyer, Gaylord Armstrong

9 -- Katrina Smith

10 -- Logan Davidson, Fmr. Sen. Troy Fraser

11 -- Dennis Kearns

12 -- Rep Robert Guerra, Julie Young, Stewart McGregor, Stephanie Speer Smith

13 -- Rep Ann Johnson, Rep Tony Tinderholt, Rep Cody Vasut, Fmr. Sen and current Houston Mayor John Whitmire, Sheila Beckett, Fmr. Rep. Cindy Burkett, Dan Casey, Gary Fuchs

14 -- Will Adams, Deborah Giles, Fmr. Rep. Ed Emmett, Sergio Cavazos

15 -- Mattie Heith, Dennis Borel

16 -- Rep Sheryl Cole, Rep Cody Harris, William Seilheimer

17 -- Rep Jon Rosenthal, Sen Joan Huffman, Carol McGarah

18 -- Rep Lina Ortega, Christine Garrison, Claudia Russell

19 -- Rep Stephanie Klick, Fmr. Rep. Mike Villarreal, Fmr. Rep. Matt Krause

20 -- Hil Carter, Rebecca Montgomery, Rina Hartline, Beaman Floyd, Bill Stevens

21 -- Rep Lacey Hull, Sarah Gouak, Ricco Garcia, Jennifer Chambers

22 -- Eddie Aldrete, Billy Phenix

23 -- Libby Elliott, Monica Hearn, Andrew Fish

24 -- Deanna Kuykendall

25 -- Rep Ana Hernandez, Claudia Rodas

26 -- Rep Todd Hunter, Mike Warner

28 -- Rep Terry Wilson, Reb Wayne, Fmr. Rep. Ellen Cohen, Joey Longley, Jeff Moseley

29 -- Luis Figueroa, Caleb Goodman, Mark Malone

30 -- Jennifer Cawley, Kathy Walt, Laramie Stroud, Angela Hale

31 -- Jim Cosgrove, Tim Tuggey

Shout Outs

Congratulations to Logan Spence on the birth of his new grandson, Jack Everett Spence.

Fmr. Texas A&M Chancellor, John Sharp was recently awarded the U.S. Army’s Meritorious Public Service Medal.

In June, Rep. Toni Rose helped dedicate a 40 acre park in Dallas, the Judge Charles R. Rose Community Park, named in honor of her father, a beloved local community activist.

Our Thoughts



Condolences to the families, friends and colleagues on the recent passing of:

Leah Therese Erard, former legislative and ERS staffer

Jannis Redding Harris, mother of Rep. Cody Harris

Elwood Eichler, father of David Eichler

Glen Weise, father of Jennifer Weise Woodard and father-in-law of Shayne Woodard

For inquiries regarding sponsorship opportunities for this newsletter, please reach out to Jim Arnold at jim@arnoldpublicaffairs.com.