Political People and their Moves

Longtime state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, the influential chair of the House's chief budget-writing committee, has announced his retirement from the lower chamber.  

Rick Santorum is backing state Sen. Ken Paxton's bid for attorney general. In a video endorsement, the former presidential contender said Paxton, R-McKinney, has a record of standing up to members of his own party "when they wander off the conservative line."

San Antonio defense attorney Michael McCrum has been appointed to investigate a complaint alleging that Gov. Rick Perry abused his power and violated state law when he threatened to cut funding for the state's Public Integrity Unit unless the district attorney who oversees it resigned.

State Rep. Harvey Hilderbran formally launched his bid to succeed Comptroller Susan Combs. Hilderbran is the fourth Republican to enter the race after state Sen. Glenn Hegar of Katy, former state Rep. Raul Torres and former gubernatorial candidate Debra Medina. No Democrats have formally announced plans to run for the seat.

Republican state Sen. Glenn Hegar, who authored the Senate version of the state's restrictive abortion legislation and is running for comptroller, has announced the support of key anti-abortion groups, from Texas Right to Life and the Texans for Life Coalition to the conservative Heidi Group and the Texas Eagle Forum.  

Scott Johnson, a Frisco city councilman, will run for the Republican nomination for SD-8, the seat left empty by Sen. Ken Paxton's run for attorney general. Johnson's only opponent thus far is Tea Party favorite Van Taylor, a state representative from Plano.   

The latest state to get a visit from Gov. Rick Perry's job-poaching, "Texas works" campaign? Missouri, where TV ads — featuring former Democratic gubernatorial candidate and hair care magnate Farouk Shami, among others — will air ahead of the governor's Aug. 29 visit. The $106,000 ad buy means Perry will be on the airwaves everywhere from local TV to CNBC, FOX News, MSNBC, CNN, ESPN and the Discovery Channel. 

Gov. Rick Perry has appointed his former chief of staff Brandy Marty to the Public Utility Commission. 

State Rep. John Davis, R-Houston, has announced he will not seek re-election. He was first elected to the lower chamber in 1998.

Deaths: Former state Rep. Jimmy Earl Mankins Sr., of Kilgore. He was 87.