Gov. Greg Abbott made 10 student regent appointments as well as naming the student representative to the Higher Education Coordinating Board, all of whom will serve a one-year term beginning June 1. They are: Lindsey Shelley of ­­­­­­Fort Worth (Midwestern State University); Chad Huckaby of Nacogdoches (Stephen F. Austin State University);Stephanie Martinez of Laredo (Texas A&M University System); Tramauni Brock of Mansfield (Texas Southern University); Dylan McFarland of Frisco (Texas State University System); Jeremy Stewart of Arlington (Texas Tech University System); Monica Mathis of Sherman (Texas Woman's University); Joshua Freed of Cypress (University of Houston System); Christopher Lee of Houston (University of North Texas System); Varun Pokkamthanam Joseph of McKinney (University of Texas System); and Haley Rader DeLaGarza of Victoria (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board).

Abbott appointed Daniel “Dan” Brudnak of Gorman and Peggy Lewene “Lew” Vassberg of Lyford and reappointed Suehing “Sue” Chiang of Sugar Land to the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners for terms to expire on Jan. 31, 2021.

Abbott made three appointments on Friday to the board of trustees for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas — John Elliott of Austin, Greg Gibson of Schertz and Christopher Moss of Lufkin, which is a reappointment. All three appointments are for terms to expire Aug. 31, 2021.

Abbott on Monday appointed Tommy Hansen of Hitchcock and Armin Mizani of Keller to the Automobile Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority for terms to expire Feb. 1, 2021.

Ahead of this weekend’s state GOP chairman election, incumbent Tom Mechler announced endorsements from former Gov. Rick Perry and state Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury. The challenger for the post, Jared Woodfill, rounded up endorsements from state Rep. Bill Zedler, R-Arlington, as well as State Republican Executive Committee members Tanya Robertson and Bonnie Lugo.

GOP SD-24 runoff candidate Dawn Buckingham has racked up the endorsement of another prominent Texas conservative. This time, it’s Americans for Prosperity-Texas policy director Peggy Venable. Also this week, she won the backing of former Travis County Republican Party Chairman James Dickey and a trio of Coryell County officeholders — County Commissioner Jack Wall, Sheriff Johnny Burks and District Attorney Dusty Boyd.

HD-5 GOP runoff candidate Jay Misenheimer has earned the endorsement of the Texas Alliance for Life PAC. He finished behind Cole Hefner in the first round of voting. Hefner, meanwhile, announced an endorsement from current HD-5 representative Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola.

The Independent Texans PAC is endorsing Ernest Bailes in the GOP runoff to succeed state Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton, in representing HD-18.

HD-73 incumbent Doug Miller, R-New Braunfels, received an endorsement for re-election on Friday by the Texas Travel Industry Association.

The political arm of the Texas Health Care Association endorsed this week Barbara Gervin-Hawkins in the HD-120 Democratic primary runoff and Scott Cosper in the GOP runoff election in HD-54.

The Texas AFL-CIO’s political arm has released its list of endorsements in the May 24 party primary runoff elections. They are: CD-15: Vicente Gonzalez; HD-27: Ron Reynolds; HD-120: Mario Salas; and HD-139: Jarvis Johnson.

The Dallas Police Association on Monday endorsed Mary Lou Keel in the GOP runoff election to fill Place 2 on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. She is competing against Ray Wheless for their party’s nomination to take on incumbent Larry Meyers in the fall general election.

Gary Gates, a candidate in the GOP runoff election for railroad commissioner, has won the endorsement of state Rep. John Kuempel, R-Seguin.

Public education advocacy group Texas Parent PAC on Monday endorsed Lufkin school board president Keven Ellis in the runoff election for SBOE District 9. Ellis finished second to Mary Lou Bruner, whose over-the-top Facebook posts have drawn national attention.

Hill+Knowlton Strategies announced on Thursday that it has hired Travis Considine for the post of vice president for its public affairs shop in its Austin office. He is a veteran of the press shops of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Rick Perry.

The lobby shop at Texas Star Alliance announced on Monday that it has hired Jordan Williford, a staffer for state Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano. She will work on health and human services and insurance issues — which she handled as a staffer for Taylor — as well as other topics.

The Texas Organizing Project announced on Wednesday a change in leadership, with Michelle Tremillo, currently managing director, being named to take over the job of executive director for the progressive advocacy group on July 1. She will take over for Ginny Goldman who has been executive director since the group’s founding in 2009. 

The Texas Trial Lawyers Association announced on Tuesday that it has chosen McKinney attorney John Lin McCraw as its 2016 president-elect. The position of president-elect had been vacant since the death in January of Mark Kincaid.

Deaths: Chet Brooks, 80, died on Wednesday. A state lawmaker for 30 years, he represented Pasadena, first in the House for two terms and then the Senate. He was Dean of the Senate for the final 12 years of his tenure in the chamber.

Carl Whitmarsh, an outsized presence in Harris County Democratic politics for decades, passed away over the weekend. He was 64 and had been in ill health for years.

Disclosure: Stephen F. Austin State University, the Texas A&M University System, Texas Southern University, the Texas State University System, Texas Tech University, the University of Houston, the University of North Texas, the University of Texas System, the Texas Travel Industry Association, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and Mark Kincaid have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.