By leaving Secretary of State post, Ruth Hughs must step down as Border Commerce Coordinator

AUSTIN, Texas - Ruth Hughs is having to give up her role as Border Commerce Coordinator for Texas because she is resigning as Secretary of State.The Texas Tribune reported Friday that Hughs is tendering her resignation as Secretary of State, effective May 31. That is the last day of the current legislative session. The Tribune notes that a secretary of state appointed in between regular legislative sessions is constitutionally required to leave office immediately if the Senate goes through an entire session without confirming them. The Senate Nominations Committee, chaired by Republican Dan Buckingham never took up Hughs’ nomination.The Tribune went on to say that Hughs stayed out of the political fray when it came to elections and elections policy and kept a much lower profile during her time in office compared to predecessor David Whitley.While that may be true, it was not the case when it came to another of the secretary of state’s key duties - border trade.Hughs chaired the Border Trade Advisory Committee, which played a key role in developing the Texas-Mexico Border Transportation Master Plan for the Texas Department of Transportation. She chaired the BTAC in her capacity as Texas’ Border Commerce Coordinator. After the master plan was finished, Hughs spoke highly of it at a Texas Transportation Commission meeting in Austin. She also promoted the plan in the Rio Grande Valley in April. “The City of Pharr is proud to have welcomed Secretary of State Ruth Hughs at our recent RGVMPO Transportation Policy Committee meeting as we worked on implementing the Border Trade Master Plan,” said Pharr Mayor Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez, MD. RGVMPO stands for Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization. Hernandez chairs the group.In a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott announcing her resignation as Secretary of State, Hughs said of her role as Border Commerce Coordinator:“I am also proud of the work we have clone to strengthen our international relationships and facilitate business growth and trade. The friendships we enjoy with our international partners were instrumental in addressing needs that arose during the pandemic. Texas is better positioned today as a result of our perseverance and resilience during these challenging times. Thanks to your leadership, we remain globally competitive and continue to enjoy great economic growth.”Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian website to read the full story.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.