AUSTIN, Texas — Jane Dudding has won the primary runoff election and will now face Republican incumbent Glenn Hegar in the race for Texas comptroller in the November election.
Early voting for the Texas primary election started on Monday, Feb. 14, and ran through Friday, Feb. 25, but May 24 marked Election Day. Voters had until 7 p.m. to cast their ballots.
Among the many state and local races on the ballot was the Texas comptroller. The comptroller is the state official responsible for collecting taxes, overseeing the state treasury and forecasting the amount of money that’s available for the state’s two-year budget.
Dudding is a certified public accountant (CPA) who began her governmental accounting career with the Office of the State Auditor, investigating allegations that governmental officials had embezzled taxpayer money or taken kickbacks, according to her campaign website.
She received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) - Accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi and MBA from Millsaps College.
Dudding believes that legalizing and/or decriminalizing marijuana would bring in a new revenue stream to “reduce property tax, fund education, health (and mental health) care, and public safety.”
“A growing number of states are bringing in revenue by legalizing cannabis for adult recreational use. The industry is mature enough to have established best practices, which should be incorporated,” Dudding said on her campaign page.
Other topics Dudding is advocating for include reducing methane emissions on state-owned land, helping bring broadband and its revenue stream to rural Texas, expanding comprehensive mental and physical health care and more. See Dudding’s campaign issues here.
Dudding has served as a Democratic precinct chair and a member of the Texas Democratic Women Executive Board. She is also treasurer of the College Station Noon Lion’s Club, on the executive board of the Brazos County Branch of the NAACP and is a member of the Bryan Rotary Club, the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, Governmental Financial Officers Association of Texas, the Texas A&M Women’s Club, the A&M Garden Club, the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley, the Brazos Valley African American Museum and Brazos County Retired School Personnel.
To read more about Dudding, click here.
Republican Hegar is the incumbent running for a third term. He won his primary in March. He was first elected to the office in November 2014. Hegar’s campaign website says he is “a staunch supporter of government transparency” and “believes all levels of government should be open and accountable to those who pay the bills — the Texas taxpayers.”
Before becoming Texas comptroller, Hegar’s campaign website notes that he oversaw state and local revenue matters during the 83rd legislative session in 2013 and was instrumental in cutting $1 billion in taxes for Texas taxpayers and businesses.
See Hegar’s campaign issues here.
Hegar received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas A&M University, Master of Arts and law degree from St. Mary’s University and Master of Law from the University of Arkansas. He is also a sixth-generation Texan.
To read more about Hegar, click here.