Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock and former state Sen. Don Huffines of Dallas, in dueling appearances on NBC5’s Lone Star Politics, made competing cases for running Texas’ finances as they compete in the March Republican primary for comptroller.
Texas state Sen. Kelly Hancock, pictured during the first day of a legislative special session on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at the Texas state capitol in Austin, Texas.
Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer
Texas state Sen. Don Huffines (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News)
CONTRACT SHIFTS: Hancock focused on defending actions he’s already taken on contracting preferences and shifting state support to businesses owned by disabled veterans. He’s also implementing the state’s new education savings account program, a massive school-choice expansion.
Hancock, a former chairman of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee, said moving away from race-based categories in contracts was necessary to comply with constitutional limits and ensure better value for taxpayers.
“We want to create a level playing field,” he said.
FISCAL REVIEW: Huffines, meanwhile, criticized the scale of state spending itself, warning that the sheer volume of money flowing through Austin demands tougher oversight.
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“When we’ve got this much money, there’s a lot of sticky fingers in the cookie jar,” Huffines said. “You don’t know unless you look.”
He also vowed to root out any remaining DEI initiatives in universities, schools and state agencies, saying they violate conservative principles and taxpayer expectations.
Gov. Greg Abbott has endorsed Hancock, praising his experience overseeing budgets and regulation. Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick is also running in the GOP primary but did not appear on the recent program.
From staff reports
Lone Star Politics airs at 8:30 a.m. Sundays, hosted by NBC5’s political reporter Phil Prazan and The Dallas Morning News political reporter Gromer Jeffers Jr.