Sen. Tommy Williams, shown accepting an award from abused children's courtroom advocates last month, may become his alma mater Texas A&M's cheerleader in the Legislature. (AP Photo/ The Courier, Ana Ramirez)
Sen. Tommy Williams, the Senate’s chief budget writer, announced Thursday he’s leaving office to concentrate on his family and new career possibilities.
Williams, R-The Woodlands, didn’t announce a date when he’ll step down. He said it would be before the 2015 legislative session.
Earlier this year, in the once a decade aftermath of redistricting, Williams drew a four year term. He didn’t have to decide on his future by the candidate filing deadline in December, as half of senators do. They drew two year terms.
“Marsha and I are looking forward to concentrating on new opportunities and spending more time with our families and grandkids during this next chapter,” Williams said in a statement.
He was first elected to the Senate in 2002, after serving three terms in the House.
For several sessions, he has been a major player in budget wrangling. Heading into this year’s session, though, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst tapped Williams to be chairman of the budget-writing Senate Finance Committee. Williams thanked Dewhurst and praised his “strong, conservative leadership.”
Dewhurst returned the compliments.
“I’ll always recall the relentless persistence he showed in working with me and our senators in crafting a nuanced, conservative budget this year,” Dewhurst said.
The two-year budget increased spending by a rate less than inflation plus state population growth, the lieutenant governor noted. It also left more than $7 billion in the rainy day fund, even after assuming voters approve constitutional amendments on water projects and highways over the next 13 months.
Dewhurst offered no hint, though, about who will succeed Williams as Finance’s chief.
Sen. Dan Patrick of Houston, who is among three prominent Republicans running against Dewhurst for lieutenant governor, promptly issued a statement saying Williams’ exit “will leave a big hole in the leadership team in the Senate.” Patrick urged Dewhurst to swiftly name a replacment. Patrick suggested he tap Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, for the job.
Williams and Patrick clashed in this year’s session. Patrick, a Finance Committee member, voted against the budget. Williams then sought to have Patrick stripped of his Education Committee chairmanship, as we reported here. The move went nowhere. Williams considered but then rejected running for comptroller next year, as we also duly noted here.
After that decision, Williams’ future prospects of wielding Capitol clout looked somewhat iffy. He might remain Finance chairman. However, Dewhurst doesn’t have a lock on the lieutenant governor’s office, after his defeat by Ted Cruz in last year’s U.S. Senate race. So it was unclear whether Williams could remain the chamber’s budget czar. Two former senators, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, are also running against Dewhurst. They might have retained Williams; or, they might have tried to make their mark with someone else.
Williams, a certified public accountant, is president of Woodforest Financial Services. It bought out his former, freestanding financial services company, and is a division of Woodforest Bank, the bank that is in most Walmart stores.
In a post late Wednesday, Texas Tribune cited sources as saying the Texas A&M University System had approached Williams about working in its government relations shop.
Williams spokesman Gary Scharrer said Thursday afternoon that Williams “is a proud Aggie” and might jump at any such opportunity. However, Scharrer said, “There’s no formal, official offer from A&M or anyone else.”
Also, Williams was vague about when he’ll step down.
“A final decision will be made after meetings with Gov. Rick Perry and … Dewhurst, and will be based on an appropriate transition time for Southeast Texans, who make up Senate District 4,” he said.