Susan Combs

Susan Combs (born February 26, 1945,^[1] in San Antonio) is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Texas, currently serving until January 13, 2015, as the state's Comptroller of Public Accounts.

She was initially elected as comptroller on November 7, 2006, to succeed Carole Strayhorn, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for governor as an Independent in the same election.

Prior to her tenure as Comptroller, Combs had served two terms as Commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture from 1999–2007, taking the reins as the first woman elected to that office in 1998, having succeeded commissioner Rick Perry, who was instead elected as lieutenant governor. Combs also served two terms in the Texas House of Representatives.^[2]

In 2010, Combs was unopposed for a second term as comptroller in the Republican primary, and she faced no Democratic opponent in the November 2 general election. Unsuccessful nominees of the Green and Libertarian parties did seek the position.

On May 29, 2013, The Dallas Morning News and the Austin American Statesman both confirmed Combs would not seek reelection to a third term as Comptroller or any other statewide office in the 2014 elections.

Background

Combs grew up in a ranching family from West Texas. She runs a cow-calf operation on her family's ranch in Brewster County; the ranch has been in her family since the turn of the 20th century. She lives in Austin with her husband, Joe W. Duran (born June 1, 1942), a computer scientist. She is the mother of three sons.

Combs graduated from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, majoring in French and religion. She worked in international advertising in New York City, in the financial markets on Wall Street, and for the U.S. government before returning to Texas to obtain credentials from the University of Texas Law School at Austin. After graduation from law school, she served as an assistant district attorney in Dallas, Texas.

Combs served two terms in the Texas House of Representatives from 1993–1996, when she joined the staff of U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison as the lawmaker's state director.

Combs serves on the boards of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association in Fort Worth and the Texas Wildlife Association. She has also served on the boards the Texas Beef Council and the Texas Production Credit Association.^[3]

Seven votes

Combs' first electoral outing was for the 47th legislative district, in Travis County. She won the Republican runoff election by seven votes over intraparty challenger Bill Welch. Combs polled 2,279 votes (50.07 percent) to Welch's 2,272 (49.92 percent). The two had led a five-candidate field in the primary.^[4]In the general election, Combs handily defeated the Democrat Jimmy Day, 45,355 (65.4 percent) to 23,987 (34.6 percent).^[5]Combs resigned midway in her second term in the House and was succeeded by fellow Republican Patty Keel of Austin.

References

1. ↑ "Susan Combs". congress.org. Retrieved November 14, 2010. 
2. ↑ http://www.window.state.tx.us/comptrol/scbio.html
3. ↑ http://www.greenbeam.com/features/they021599.stm
4. ↑ "Texas Republican runoff election, April 14, 1992". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved December 15, 2014. 
5. ↑ "Texas general election returns, November 3, 1992". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved December 15, 2014. 

External links

• Window on State Government
• Susan Combs for Texas Comptroller