Sen. Kelly Hancock leaves Senate, will take over as acting Comptroller

Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect that Sen. Kelly Hancock was hired by the Comptroller’s office as chief clerk and will assume the acting Comptroller role when Comptroller Glenn Hegar leaves.

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — State Sen. Kelly Hancock resigned from the Texas Senate and was hired as the Chief Clerk in the Texas Comptroller’s office, Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Thursday. Hancock will assume the role of Acting Comptroller of Public Accounts when Hegar takes on the role as the next Chancellor of the Texas A&M System on July 1.

Hancock has served in the Senate as a representative from the 9th district — based in Tarrant County — since 2013. He was one of just two Senate Republicans who voted to convict Attorney General Ken Paxton in his 2023 impeachment trial. Speaking about his new job and candidacy, Hancock said he is still the same person he has always been.

“I’m still the guy that shops at Walmart, and I’m small business owner,” Hancock said. “Sure, I’ve served as a school board member for 13 years, served in the legislature, but that’s not who I am.”

Immediately securing the endorsement of Gov. Greg Abbott, Hancock officially joined the field of high-profile Republican candidates for the 2026 Comptroller race, including former State Sen. Don Huffines and Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick. Huffines is among those questioning whether the move by the governor to appoint Hancock is permitted under the state constitution.

Huffines reposted a post from a conservative member of the media on X, pointing out the “holdover” provision of the Texas Constitution. The provision states that a public official must continue to perform the duties of their office until their successor is named. This would appear to suggest that Hancock could not cease performing his duties as a senator until a special election is held to replace him.

That also appears to suggest that Hancock could not become Comptroller right away, because the Texas Constitution bars a public official from holding an office in the legislative and executive branches simultaneously. The move raises questions about his appointment to the position.

Asked about the contradiction, Hancock said he was hired to the office just like anyone else.

“There was an opening, I was asked to fill it,” Hancock said. “Comptroller Hegar and I are good friends. We’ve known each other for a long time, and so that’s the way we wanted to go about it.”

Huffines called the move by Hancock a “gross manipulation.”

“It’s a gross manipulation of the process by the establishment Republicans, the political elite, because they’re scared of me, and they know that I’m going to win,” Huffines said.

Now that Hancock has officially resigned his seat, Abbott has to schedule a special election to replace him. The district is strongly Republican — Hancock won reelection in the 9th district by 20 points in 2022 — but given recent trends in special elections across the country, the seat has the potential to become competitive.

The 2026 Race Shapes Up

With the inclusion of Hancock in the 2026 Comptroller race, three high-profile Republicans have announced their desire to control the state’s pocketbooks.

Craddick has served as Railroad Commissioner since 2012. If elected comptroller, she said she wants to do internal audits of state agencies, upgrade technology and establish local government task forces to find cost savings.

“I have a pretty proven conservative record of cutting red tape and delivering results and standing strong for Texas taxpayers, so I look forward to doing that,” Craddick said.

Craddick’s interview was before Hancock announced his entrance into the race, but she made clear that she welcomes competition.

“No matter else who enters the race, I’ve been in since the first day. It started in March, and we’re happy to be here,” Craddick said. “I’ll put my record up against anybody else in Texas.”

Huffines won his first term in the Texas Senate in 2014, before losing his 2018 reelection bid to current State Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas. Huffines later challenged Abbott in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary, finishing third with 12% of the vote.

If elected, Huffines said he will bring the ideas of the Trump administration — including the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — to Texas.

“I’m going to DOGE the state of Texas,” Huffines said. “I’m bringing Trump’s ideas to Texas and that sense of urgency that we need.”

Huffines has already secured high-profile endorsements from Republican activists and officials, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, former Rep. Ron Paul and conservative political activist Charlie Kirk. Huffines said the endorsements signify the grassroots nature of his campaign.

“I’m the only one running that’s got experience actually rooting out government corruption,” Huffines said. “If anyone is mishandling that money or stealing that money, I’m going to find it, and they’re going to be worried.”

The Republican primary election is scheduled for March 3, 2026.