Texas Gov. Greg Abbott named his Deputy Chief of Staff David Whitley as his pick for Texas’ Secretary of State on Monday. The post is being vacated by current Secretary of State Rolando Pablos who submitted his resignation to Abbott earlier this month, citing the end of the midterm elections and his desire to return to his private law practice as the reasons for his decision.
“I am confident that in his new role as @TXsecofstate David will continue to safeguard the integrity of our elections and maintain Texas’ standing on the international stage.” – @GregAbbott_TX https://t.co/meGzNk3mj5 pic.twitter.com/gjLxZUvhys
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) December 17, 2018
“David has been an invaluable member of my administration for over a decade, both in my time as Attorney General and during the entirety of my first term as Governor,” said Governor Abbott. “He has a keen understanding of the election process, and has served as a top advisor for international relations within the Office of the Governor. I am confident that in his new role as Secretary of State, David will continue to safeguard the integrity of our elections and maintain Texas’ standing on the international stage.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also released a statement remarking on Abbott’s pick, saying, “David’s many years of public service combined with his outstanding legal background make him the ideal choice for this important position.”
The Secretary of State is the chief elections officer, working with county elections officials in the application and interpretation of state elections laws, as well as serving as senior advisor and liaison to the governor for Texas Border and Mexican Affairs, and serves as chief international protocol officer for Texas.
