Gov. Greg Abbott nominates Flower Mound state senator Jane Nelson to be secretary of state
State Senator Jane Nelson jokes with delegates during the opening session of the Texas state Republican convention at the FWCC on Thursday June 7, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Ron T. Ennis/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
AUSTIN, Texas - Governor Greg Abbott says he will nominate retiring state senator Jane Nelson to be Texas' new Secretary of State on Tuesday.
Nelson (R-Flower Mound), is a longtime state lawmaker, serving in the Texas Senate since 1992.
Prior to being elected to the Texas Senate Nelson was a teacher and served two terms on the State Board of Education.
Senator Nelson did not run for re-election in 2022.
Among other things, the Secretary of State is in charge of elections for the entire state.
"Ensuring confidence in our elections and building the Texas brand on the international stage are crucial for the continued growth and success of our great state," said Governor Abbott. "I thank Secretary Scott for his tireless work educating Texas voters how they can participate in the electoral process and safeguarding the integrity of our state’s elections. Senator Nelson’s lifelong commitment to public service and deep understanding of state government will be assets in her new role ensuring the critical duties of Secretary of State are fulfilled. Nothing is more important to a free society than fair elections, and the State of Texas will continue working to uphold and protect this right."
"I look forward to this new chapter of public service and appreciate the confidence Governor Abbott has placed in me to serve as Secretary of State. Voters expect fair elections with accurate, timely results, and I am committed to making that happen. Texans with all political views should have faith in our election system," Senator Nelson said.
The announcement comes one day after interim Secretary of State John Scott announced he will step down at the end of the year.
Scott's appointment would have come up for debate in the upcoming Texas legislative session.
Scott has spoken out against Texas's audit into the 2020 election telling FOX 4's Steven Dial, "I don’t think there is anything we are going to find in our audit of the 2020 election that would have changed anything about it. Joe Biden won the election back then and he still would have won the election, and Donald Trump won the state of Texas and I don’t think there will be something that shows that that was anything different than what it was."
If confirmed by the Senate, Nelson will be the 115th Secretary of State for Texas.
Abbott's last three Secretary of State nominees have gone unconfirmed.