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Carole Stewart Keeton (September 13, 1939 – March 26, 2025), formerly known as Carole Keeton McClellan, Carole Keeton Rylander and Carole Keeton Strayhorn, was an American politician who served as Texas's Comptroller of Public Accounts from 1999 to 2007.

Key Information

Elected to the comptroller's post in 1998 as a Republican, Keeton ran as an independent candidate for Texas governor against Republican incumbent Rick Perry in 2006. She lost the November general election to Perry and placed third in a six-way race, with 18 percent.

Keeton was notable for several firsts in Austin and Texas politics. She was the first and so far, only woman elected as Mayor of Austin and the first Austin mayor elected to three consecutive terms. She was the first woman elected to the Texas Railroad Commission and the first woman elected as comptroller. She also was the first woman to serve as president of the Austin school board and as president of the Austin Community College board.

In May 2009, Keeton lost her campaign for Mayor of Austin.

Background

[edit]

Keeton was born Carole Stewart Keeton in Austin, the second child and only daughter of Madge Anna (Stewart) and W. Page Keeton, a lawyer and university dean.[1] She attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she was a member of the Orange Jackets, a women's honorary service organization. Her father was the longtime dean of the University of Texas Law School. Keeton was a member of the Junior League of Austin, TX.[2]

Keeton's first marriage was to attorney Barr McClellan, whom she divorced during her first term as mayor.[1] The marriage produced four sons, Scott, Mark, Brad, and Dudley McClellan.[3] Upon her subsequent remarriage, she took the last name of her new husband, accordingly elected as comptroller under the name Carole Keeton Rylander.[4] She married Ed Strayhorn in 2003, continuing her career as Carole Keeton Strayhorn. She resumed her maiden name by 2014, after her third marriage ended in divorce.[5]

Early political career

[edit]

As Carole Keeton McClellan, she served on the board of trustees of the Austin Independent School District (which doubled as the Board of Trustees of Austin Community College) from 1972 to 1977. She served as president of both boards from 1976 to 1977. She was elected mayor of Austin in 1977 and held that post until 1983. In 1983, Governor Mark White appointed Rylander to the State Board of Insurance, where she served until resigning in 1986 to unsuccessfully challenge veteran Democratic congressman, J. J. Pickle of Austin,[1] a longtime friend and political ally of Lyndon B. Johnson.

As Carole Keeton Rylander, she won election to the Texas Railroad Commission in 1994[1] by beating Democratic incumbent Mary Scott Nabers, an Ann W. Richards appointee, by almost 300,000 votes. The panel primarily regulates the production of oil and natural gas, and despite its name, no longer has authority over railroads. She served as commission chairman from November 1995 to January 1997, and from June 1998 to January 1999.

Comptroller

[edit]

In 1998, Keeton entered the open race to succeed outgoing Democratic Comptroller John Sharp of Victoria, who was seeking the lieutenant governorship. Facing off against Democratic political scion Paul Hobby, the son of a former lieutenant governor, Keeton won by some 20,000 votes out of roughly 3.6 million votes cast.

Reelected in 2002, she led the statewide Republican ticket in terms of raw votes. As Carole Keeton Rylander, she drew more than one million votes more in 2002 than she had four years earlier and outpolled fellow Republican Rick Perry by some 246,000 votes even while Perry was easily dispatching Democrat Tony Sanchez of Laredo in the governor's race.

The tax status of Ethical Societies as religious organizations has been upheld in court cases in Washington, D.C. (1957), and in Austin, Texas (2003). The Texas State Appeals Court said of the challenge by then state comptroller Keeton, "the Comptroller's test [requiring a group to demonstrate its belief in a Supreme Being] fails to include the whole range of belief systems that may, in our diverse and pluralistic society, merit the First Amendment's protection."[6]

In 2004, Keeton revoked the tax-exempt status of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Denison, Texas by claiming that the church is not a religion. This move was done because of the policies of the church's parent body, the Unitarian Universalist Association, which has no single set of religious teachings. The comptroller's office reversed its decision after the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported the incident. This was the only occasion when any U.S. state attempted to deny the church's tax exemption.[7][8]

Gubernatorial campaign

[edit]
See also: 2006 Texas gubernatorial election

Soon after the 2002 election, Keeton began publicly feuding with Governor Perry over what she saw as his inability to provide leadership on issues such as school finance and government spending.[citation needed]

On May 9, 2006, Keeton turned in 223,000 voter signatures to the office of Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams. Only 45,540 were required to place her on the November general election ballot. "I told you, Texas," Keeton said while standing in front of 101 boxes stuffed with signatures. "We have blown the barn doors off this petition drive." Media reports later confirmed that the boxes were substantially less than half full (for comparison, her opponent, Kinky Friedman put 169,000 signatures in 11 similar boxes). On June 22, 2006, Texas Secretary of State Roger B. Williams declared that only 108,512 signatures on her petition were valid, about 35,000 less than Friedman's count.[9]

Keeton tried to have herself listed on the gubernatorial ballot as "Carole Keeton 'Grandma' Strayhorn", claiming that "Grandma" was a common nickname for her, and that independent opponent Kinky Friedman was able to use "Kinky" on the ballot (although he was listed as "Richard 'Kinky' Friedman"). Secretary of State Williams ruled that Keeton's "nickname" was a slogan she used during her campaign for state comptroller (One Tough Grandma). Friedman, on the other hand, had used "Kinky" as a professional name on his albums and novels, and had been known by that name for at least 40 years.[10]

During the Texas election for Governor's debate, Keeton suffered image points when she could not name the president-elect of Mexico, Felipe Calderón, during a rapid-answer segment of the debate. In a format similar to a TV game show, the candidates had 15 seconds to answer questions. She stated that the election had been hotly contested.

Partisan affiliations

[edit]

In her campaigns for school board and mayor, Keeton was not identified by partisan affiliation since those posts are elected on a nonpartisan basis. Keeton was a Democrat until the mid-1980s; she served as Democratic nominee Walter Mondale's campaign chair in Travis County during the 1984 presidential election. Keeton switched parties and became a Republican in 1986, when she was the GOP nominee for the U.S. House seat held by J. J. Pickle. She was elected Railroad Commissioner and then Comptroller as a Republican and ran for Governor in 2006 as an independent.[11] In 2014, she returned to the Democratic party nearly 30 years after having left it.

Death

[edit]

Keeton died at her home in Austin, Texas, on March 26, 2025, at the age of 85.[12][13]

References

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
  • Associated Press, Strayhorn: Call Me Grandma, (June 9, 2006).
  • Robert Dodge, Finding a Healthy Balance: FDA Chief McClellan Aiming for Right Mix of Science, Economics, Dallas Morning News 1A (Feb. 16, 2004).
  • R.G. Ratcliffe, Strayhorn says her politics remain true, Houston Chronicle (Aug. 20, 2006).
  • Amy Smith, She's Her Own Grandma, Austin Chronicle (July 28, 2006).
  • Texas Birth Index 1903-1997
  • Texas Marriage Index, 1966–2002
  • Texas Divorce Index, 1966–2002
[edit]
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Carole Keeton Strayhorn

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Carole Stewart Keeton Strayhorn (September 13, 1939 – March 26, 2025) was an American politician and educator from Austin, Texas, who held multiple pioneering roles in state and local government, including as the first woman elected Mayor of Austin from 1977 to 1983 and the first woman elected Texas Comptroller from 1999 to 2007. Born to University of Texas Law School Dean Page Keeton and attorney Madge Keeton, she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and began her career as a teacher before entering politics via the Austin Independent School District board. She later served as Texas Railroad Commissioner from 1995 to 1999, emphasizing regulatory oversight of the energy sector. As Comptroller, Strayhorn positioned herself as the state's chief fiscal officer, conducting audits that exposed inefficiencies and advocating for taxpayer accountability, though her tenure included disputes with Republican Governor Rick Perry over policy and ethics allegations regarding a large sales tax refund. In 2006, she left the Republican Party to run for governor as an independent, campaigning as "One Tough Grandma" and challenging the status quo on issues like foster care reform and government spending, but finished third behind incumbent Perry and Democrat Chris Bell. Her career reflected a pattern of crossing party lines and critiquing entrenched leadership, earning her a reputation as a maverick in Texas politics.

Early Life and Education

Birth and Family Background

Carole Keeton Strayhorn was born Carole Stewart Keeton in Austin, Texas, in 1939. She was the second of two children born to Madge Keeton and W. Page Keeton, a prominent lawyer who served as dean of the University of Texas School of Law for 25 years. Her father, known for his influential role in legal education, had a street named in his honor near the UT campus, reflecting his stature in Austin's academic and civic circles. As the only daughter in the family, Strayhorn grew up in a household shaped by her parents' professional commitments; her mother, Madge, was involved in community and legal-adjacent spheres through her marriage to a university figure. Her older brother, Richard Keeton, later became a notable Houston attorney, continuing the family's legal legacy. This Austin-centric upbringing instilled a lifelong attachment to the city, where her family's prominence in education and law provided early exposure to public service and intellectual pursuits.

Education and Early Career

Carole Keeton Strayhorn attended the University of Texas at Austin, studying government and graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1961. After completing her education, Strayhorn entered her early professional career as a teacher in the Austin Independent School District, where she instructed history and civics at McCallum High School. Her tenure in education emphasized public service and laid the groundwork for her later involvement in local governance, reflecting a commitment to community improvement through foundational roles in schooling.

Personal Life

Marriages and Name Changes

Carole Keeton married attorney Barr McClellan in 1961, and the couple had four sons before divorcing during her first term as mayor of Austin in the late 1970s. She held local offices, including her mayoral tenure from 1977 to 1983, under the name Carole Keeton McClellan. In 1983, she married Curtis Hill Rylander, a businessman; the marriage ended in divorce prior to her 1994 election to the Texas Railroad Commission, during which she campaigned and served as Carole Keeton Rylander. She retained this name for her successful 1998 bid and tenure as Texas Comptroller from 1999 to 2007. On January 4, 2003, shortly after her re-election as comptroller, Keeton Rylander married her high school sweetheart, Ed Strayhorn, in a private ceremony at her Austin home attended by family members. She adopted the professional name Carole Keeton Strayhorn for her 2006 independent gubernatorial campaign, though the marriage later ended in divorce. Throughout her political career spanning over three decades, Strayhorn consistently incorporated her maiden name "Keeton"—a nod to her father, prominent law professor W. Page Keeton—into her surnames from each of her three marriages.

Family and Personal Interests

Strayhorn was the mother of four sons from her first marriage to Barr McClellan: Bradley (Brad), Scott, Mark, and Dudley McClellan. Scott McClellan served as White House Press Secretary under President George W. Bush from 2003 to 2005. Brad McClellan, an Austin lawyer, managed aspects of her political campaigns. She raised the boys as a single mother while serving as mayor of Austin from 1977 to 1983. At the time of her death on March 26, 2025, she was survived by nine grandchildren. Born Carole Stewart Keeton in Austin to W. Page Keeton, dean of the of from to , and Madge Keeton, she had one , brother Keeton, a attorney. Her background emphasized academic and legal achievement, with her father influencing her early exposure to public discourse. Strayhorn's personal interests included competitive tennis, where she achieved a ranking of No. 2 in Texas women's doubles in 1957 during high school. She also pursued education as a teacher of history and civics at McCallum High School in Austin after graduating from the University of Texas in 1961. Later known as "one tough grandma," she embraced her role as a grandmother, reflecting a family-centric outlook amid her public career.

Local Political Career in Austin

City Council Service

Carole Keeton McClellan, as she was known during her early political career, did not serve on the Austin City Council prior to her election as mayor. Her entry into elected public office in Austin occurred on the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees, where she was appointed in the early 1970s and subsequently elected, eventually becoming the district's first female president in 1976. This role focused on educational policy and administration, providing the platform from which she launched her 1977 mayoral campaign, bypassing city council positions entirely. Historical records of Austin's municipal elections and officeholders confirm no tenure for her on the council, which at the time operated under an at-large system with seven members plus the mayor.

Mayoral Tenure (1977–1983)

Carole Keeton McClellan was elected mayor of Austin on April 2, 1977, in a runoff election, defeating challenger Gonzalo Barrientos and becoming the city's first female mayor amid skepticism about a woman's capacity to lead during a period of rapid urban expansion. As a Democrat at the time, she campaigned on efficient governance and was the first Austin mayor to secure three consecutive terms, serving until February 1983. Upon assuming office, she prioritized streamlining the city's bureaucracy to enhance administrative efficiency and responsiveness. During her tenure, McClellan focused on managing Austin's explosive growth, which strained infrastructure and resources amid the emerging tech sector's influence. In 1978, her administration engaged with the Lake Austin Growth Management Plan to address development pressures around the reservoir, alongside efforts in downtown revitalization and broader economic development initiatives aimed at attracting businesses and fostering job creation. Water supply challenges were a recurring priority, with council actions under her leadership including budget amendments for water and wastewater operations and discussions on potential moratoriums to prevent shortages, reflecting proactive measures to secure long-term utility capacity for a population nearing 300,000 by 1980. These policies emphasized balanced expansion without overextending fiscal or environmental limits, contributing to Austin's transition from a government-centric economy to one bolstered by private investment. McClellan's mayoral record emphasized pragmatic , earning for her dedication to despite personal challenges as a single mother of four. She opted not to seek a fourth term, concluding her service in early 1983 before Mark White appointed her as the first woman to the Texas State Board of .

Statewide Republican Roles

Texas Railroad Commission (1995–1999)

Carole Keeton Rylander was elected to the Railroad Commission in 1994, defeating Democratic incumbent Mary Scott Nabers and succeeding her in office on , 1994. As the first woman elected to the commission, which primarily regulates 's and industry, she served until , 1999, when she resigned to assume the office of state comptroller. During her tenure from 1995 onward, Rylander chaired the commission from 1995 to 1997 and again from 1998 to 1999. In her first year, she opposed efforts to implement gas shut-ins aimed at boosting prices through production restrictions, arguing against such interventions despite opposition from industry interests favoring proration to mimic cartel controls. This stance aligned with free-market principles, prioritizing unrestricted output over regulatory limits historically used by the commission for but less commonly for gas. Rylander's service occurred amid fluctuating energy markets in the mid-1990s, with the commission overseeing well permitting, proration schedules, and pipeline safety. In 1996, she faced Democratic and Libertarian challengers who criticized the commission for inefficiency and called for reforms, including greater transparency and reduced regulatory capture by major producers; however, she retained her position through the staggered election cycle for her six-year term. Her tenure emphasized maintaining Texas's dominance in U.S. energy production without succumbing to protectionist measures that could stifle competition.

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (1999–2007)

Carole Keeton Rylander was elected Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in November 1998 as a Republican, defeating Democrat Garry Mauro with 55% of the vote, becoming the first woman to hold the statewide office. She assumed office on January 19, 1999, following her resignation from the Texas Railroad Commission. The comptroller's responsibilities include collecting taxes such as sales, franchise, and fuel levies; managing state accounting and fiscal operations; and issuing the Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE), which certifies available revenue and caps legislative appropriations to prevent deficits. During her tenure, Strayhorn's office produced key fiscal forecasts that influenced state budgeting. In January 2003, she certified a $9.9 billion shortfall for the 2004-2005 biennium—nearly double prior estimates—urging lawmakers to avoid new taxes and prioritize spending cuts amid economic slowdowns. She revised the forecast upward by $614 million in April 2004, reflecting improved collections, though critics later argued her projections underestimated revenue gains from property tax reforms and economic growth. Strayhorn positioned her office as a guardian of fiscal discipline, publicly challenging Governor Rick Perry's claims of surpluses and emphasizing transparency in revenue certification to lawmakers. Strayhorn won re-election in November 2002 by a landslide, securing over 2.4 million votes— the highest total for any winning Republican candidate nationwide that year and more votes than any woman in Texas history at the time—against Democrat Marty Akins. Her campaign highlighted efficiency in tax collection and opposition to tax increases. In office, she advocated for audits to enhance accountability, such as requesting a probe into mishandled contracts in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in July 2004. She also supported property tax relief efforts tied to school finance reform, arguing for shifting burdens from local to state levels without broad-based hikes. Her administration faced scrutiny over tax dispute resolutions. A 2005 state audit examined 1999-2004 cases and found the comptroller's office had reduced $460 million in tax assessments for businesses represented by lobbyists and donors, including firm Ryan & Company, prompting ethics questions from Perry and others about potential favoritism in appeals processes. Strayhorn defended the reductions as lawful outcomes of legitimate taxpayer challenges, claiming the audit gave her office a "clean bill of health" on broader operations. In 2003, she married Ed Strayhorn and adopted the name Carole Keeton Strayhorn, continuing service until January 2007 without seeking a third term amid her independent gubernatorial run.

Gubernatorial Bid and Independence

2006 Campaign Platform and Strategy

Strayhorn announced her independent candidacy for governor on , 2006, after gathering sufficient petition signatures to appear on the ballot, bypassing the Republican primary where she had initially considered challenging incumbent . Her strategy emphasized framing the contest as a direct matchup against Perry, positioning herself as an outsider unencumbered by party loyalty to appeal to disaffected Republicans and crossover Democrats. She adopted the "One Tough Grandma" moniker to highlight her age (67) and focus on intergenerational equity, suing unsuccessfully to include "Grandma" on the ballot for added name recognition among women, seniors, and families. The campaign platform centered on fiscal restraint and targeted reforms, criticizing Austin's governance for "spending money we don't have" and imposing undue taxes, with Strayhorn pledging to safeguard her grandchildren's future through accountable budgeting. Key proposals under her "Strayhorn Solutions" included property tax relief, enhanced border security, and health care improvements, drawing from her comptroller audits that exposed state shortcomings in foster care and budgets. On education, she advocated reducing reliance on high-stakes testing like the TAKS exam, raising teacher pay, ensuring affordable higher education, and funding public schools via state-run video lotteries and a $1-per-pack cigarette tax increase, while vowing to veto school vouchers. She opposed Perry's proposed cuts to the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which affected 250,000 children, and faulted his administration for failing to deliver promised property tax reductions. Strategically, Strayhorn leveraged her comptroller position for ongoing media exposure to assail Perry on mismanagement and lobbyist influence, while cultivating a diverse including teachers' unions (e.g., State Teachers Association), the State Employees Union, farmers, environmentalists opposing the Trans- Corridor, PTA groups, the , and lawyers. efforts yielded nearly $14 million by late in the race, with $5 million remaining 30 days before the , enabling sustained and . This approach aimed to split conservative votes from Perry while attracting moderates wary of Democratic nominee Chris Bell, though critics portrayed her policy evolution—from past voucher support to public advocacy—as opportunistic.

Election Outcome and Immediate Repercussions

In the held on , Republican won re-election with 1,716,792 votes, or 39.03% of the total, securing a plurality in a fragmented five-way race. Democrat Bell finished second with 1,310,337 votes (29.79%), while Strayhorn, campaigning as an independent, placed third with 796,851 votes (18.13%). Independent received 547,674 votes (12.45%), and Libertarian James Werner Dillon garnered 713 votes (0.02%). Strayhorn's independent bid, positioned as a conservative alternative to Perry, drew significant support from disaffected Republicans critical of the governor's leadership on issues like toll roads and state budgeting, contributing to Perry's narrow nine-percentage-point margin over Bell—his slimmest re-election victory to date. The race highlighted Texas's tolerance for non-major-party candidacies under its plurality-wins system, with Strayhorn's vote share exceeding pre-election polls in some surveys and underscoring voter frustration with intra-party dynamics. Following the defeat, Strayhorn conceded the election that evening, praising her supporters for amplifying fiscal accountability concerns and vowing to continue her oversight role as comptroller through the end of her term on January 15, 2007. She did not seek re-election to the comptroller position, which Republican Susan Combs won unopposed in November 2006, effectively concluding Strayhorn's tenure in statewide elected office. The campaign's emphasis on transparency clashes with Perry's administration foreshadowed post-election budget shortfalls, where Strayhorn later cited her warnings as prescient amid revenue disputes.

Political Philosophy and Party Evolution

Fiscal Conservatism and Key Positions

Strayhorn positioned herself as a fiscal watchdog during her tenure as Texas Comptroller from 1999 to 2007, emphasizing balanced budgets and restraint on government spending to safeguard future generations. She frequently criticized legislative tendencies toward overspending, arguing that surpluses should not be squandered but allocated prudently between reserves and taxpayer relief. In January 2003, she proposed the "Returning the Favor" plan, which advocated dividing projected budget surpluses equally: 50% to bolster the state's Rainy Day Fund and 50% to fund expanded sales tax holidays over two holiday seasons, calibrated to the surplus size and requiring a constitutional amendment for implementation. This initiative stemmed from her observation that Texas had previously depleted a $3 billion surplus, contributing to subsequent shortfalls, and she paired it with calls for $3.7 billion in savings through 179 efficiency recommendations while opposing dips into emergency funds during downturns. A hallmark of her fiscal stance was her refusal to certify unbalanced budgets, invoking her constitutional role to enforce fiscal discipline. On June 19, 2003, Strayhorn declined to approve the legislature's $118 billion biennial budget for fiscal years 2004-2005, determining it exceeded available revenues by $186.9 million, including a $236 million general revenue transfer embedded in a transportation bill. She returned the budget unsigned, stating, "Regrettably, I cannot certify this bill. This isn’t about what I like or don’t like… I would have loved for the Legislature to have adopted a budget I could certify," and rejected a proposed fail-safe mechanism that would have shifted spending cut authority to her office. This action forced legislative revisions, underscoring her commitment to preventing deficits through upfront accountability rather than post-hoc adjustments. She also endorsed stricter spending caps, favoring a four-fifths legislative vote threshold over the existing two-thirds to curb expansions. Strayhorn scrutinized hidden fiscal burdens on citizens, equating state-imposed fees and expenses to de facto tax hikes. In early 2003, amid a $10 billion budget gap, she tallied $2.7 billion in such incremental costs across health care, licenses, and other areas, warning that they would "feel like" tax increases despite official denials, and cautioned against surprises in rising out-of-pocket expenses. Her analyses often projected long-term shortfalls, as seen in her preemptive critiques of property tax cut proposals that risked imbalances without corresponding spending reductions. Throughout her career, she self-identified as a "common sense fiscal conservative," prioritizing efficiency, transparency in revenue estimates, and opposition to unchecked growth in state expenditures.

Shifts from Democrat to Republican to Independent

Carole Keeton Strayhorn began her political as a Democrat, serving on the from to and as from to 1983. She also chaired Walter Mondale's Texas campaign during his 1984 Democratic presidential bid. In 1985, Strayhorn left the Democratic Party to become a Republican, motivated by her to challenge incumbent Democratic Congressman Jake Pickle in the 1986 , which she lost. This marked her entry into Republican politics, where she later secured appointments and elections to statewide offices, including the Texas Railroad Commission from 1995 to 1999 and the from 1999 to 2007. Strayhorn's tenure as a Republican spanned over two decades, during which she aligned with the party's while maintaining some in critiques. However, facing a challenging Republican primary against incumbent —whom polls showed leading decisively—she withdrew on , , and announced her candidacy as an independent for governor. She cited Perry's leadership as fostering divisiveness that hindered legislative progress, such as on school finance reform, and positioned her independent run as a rejection of party-line constraints to prioritize voter interests. Strayhorn framed her party shifts as adaptations to evolving political landscapes rather than ideological reversals, stating in 2006 that "parties may change, politics ," emphasizing consistency in her core principles of fiscal responsibility and efforts across affiliations. Critics, including some within Republican circles, portrayed the moves as opportunistic, dubbing her a "" for navigating three labels amid electoral ambitions. Her independent bid garnered 18.1% of the vote in the 2006 , trailing Perry and Democrat Chris Bell but ahead of other independents.

Controversies and Criticisms

Clashes with Rick Perry and Toll Roads

Strayhorn, serving as Texas Comptroller from 1999 to 2007, publicly clashed with Governor Rick Perry over his administration's aggressive push for toll road expansion, particularly the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC), a proposed network of tolled superhighways spanning over 4,000 miles to alleviate congestion and fund infrastructure through public-private partnerships. Perry championed the TTC as a visionary solution to Texas's transportation woes, securing legislative approval in 2003 via House Bill 3588, which empowered the Texas Department of Transportation to pursue comprehensive development agreements with private entities. Strayhorn, however, decried the project as fiscally irresponsible and a threat to property rights, labeling it the "Trans-Texas Catastrophe" and arguing it prioritized corporate interests over taxpayers by allowing eminent domain for vast corridors that would displace farms and ranches. A focal point of contention emerged in Central Texas, where Strayhorn in August 2004 assailed Perry and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) for plans to impose tolls on highways already funded by gas taxes and vehicle registrations, equating the policy to "double taxation" that burdened drivers without delivering promised non-tolled alternatives. She amplified these criticisms at public forums, including a May 2005 rally in Austin where she joined ranchers and landowners in condemning the TTC's scale—envisioned as a 1,200-foot-wide swath including roads, rail, and utilities—and warned of its potential to fragment rural communities while enriching foreign investors like Spain's Cintra, the lead private partner. These stances positioned Strayhorn as a leading Republican skeptic of Perry's infrastructure vision, which faced backlash from rural conservatives and property owners fearing land seizures under eminent domain. The rift intensified during Strayhorn's independent gubernatorial campaign against , where she pledged to dismantle TTC-like initiatives by expanding the state transportation commission from eight to fifteen members for greater oversight and redirecting funds toward over new tolled mega-projects. 's defenders countered that Strayhorn's prior legislative record as a had underinvested in roads, costing billions in lost opportunities, but her opposition resonated with anti-TTC activists, contributing to 's narrowed reelection margin amid widespread landowner protests. Though the TTC was later scaled back and segments canceled by 2011 due to legal challenges and public outcry, Strayhorn's vocal resistance highlighted deeper ideological divides within Texas Republicanism on privatization, taxation, and state-led development.

Audits, Transparency Efforts, and Political Backlash

During her tenure as Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts from 1999 to 2007, Carole Keeton Strayhorn emphasized fiscal audits and performance reviews of state agencies to promote accountability and transparency in government spending. Her office conducted evaluations revealing inefficiencies, such as overpayments to contractors and lax financial controls in regional authorities; for instance, a 2005 report criticized the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority for inadequate expenditure oversight and poor management practices. Strayhorn's team also produced public reports on fiscal impacts, including a 2003 analysis estimating that undocumented immigrants contributed a net $420 million to state coffers after accounting for costs. A hallmark of her transparency efforts was the aggressive scrutiny of the state budget process. In January 2003, her office's "Broken Budget" report projected a $7.4 billion shortfall for the upcoming biennium, urging lawmakers to address structural deficits rather than rely on temporary fixes. This culminated in June 2003 when Strayhorn refused to certify the legislature's proposed $117.4 billion budget for fiscal years 2004–2005, declaring it unbalanced by $185.9 million due to reliance on unverified revenue assumptions and accounting maneuvers. Her action, the first such rejection in modern Texas history, compelled the legislature to reconvene and cut spending, enforcing constitutional balanced-budget requirements. These initiatives provoked significant political backlash, particularly from Governor Rick Perry and Republican legislators. In July 2003, the Texas Senate passed measures to transfer agency and school performance review authority away from the comptroller's office, interpreted by Strayhorn's allies as retaliation for her budget warnings that disrupted legislative priorities. Tensions escalated amid her 2006 gubernatorial challenge to Perry; in June 2004, Strayhorn accused him of orchestrating a "vendetta" by directing the state auditor to probe her office's operations. The resulting September 2005 audit examined tax dispute resolutions from 1999–2004, identifying procedural irregularities—such as communications between staff and donors with pending cases—and recommending bans on political contributions from those under audit, though it uncovered no evidence of wrongdoing or favoritism. Strayhorn dismissed the review as a Perry-orchestrated "political witch hunt" timed to undermine her campaign, while Perry highlighted the findings to question her ethics. Her early deficit projections, initially downplayed by Perry and lawmakers favoring tax cuts, were later validated by subsequent shortfalls, underscoring the prescience of her transparency-driven warnings amid ongoing partisan frictions.

Death and Legacy

Final Years and Death (2025)

Following her tenure as Comptroller ending in 2007, Strayhorn maintained involvement in Austin civic affairs, including an unsuccessful 2009 bid for . In 2012, she chaired Austinites For Action, a group that successfully advocated for a voter-approved increase to fund emergency medical services and health care initiatives in Travis County. She continued political engagement into the 2020s via social media under the handle @onetoughgrandma, where on November 1, 2024, she endorsed Democratic candidates Kamala Harris for president and Colin Allred for U.S. Senate ahead of the election. Strayhorn died peacefully on March 26, 2025, at age 85, in her family home in Austin's Tarrytown neighborhood, which had been built by her grandparents; she was surrounded by family at the time. She was predeceased by her husbands Ed Rylander and Temple Dickson "Strayhorn" McClellan III but survived by four sons—Mark, , Bradley, and —and nine grandchildren, whom she prioritized above her public roles. A private family service was held, with a public memorial planned for later. Her sons described her as a principled trailblazer who inspired public service while cherishing family time.

Achievements, Tributes, and Enduring Impact

Strayhorn achieved numerous firsts as a female politician in Texas, including serving as the first woman president of the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees starting in 1972, where she focused on improving student achievement. She was elected Austin's first female mayor in 1977, holding office until 1983 and overseeing the revitalization of downtown Austin, which included attracting major developments such as the Hyatt Regency hotel. In 1983, she became the first woman appointed to the Texas State Board of Insurance. Elected to the Texas Railroad Commission in 1994, she was the first woman in that role, serving until 1999. Her election as Texas Comptroller in 1998 marked another milestone as the first woman in that position, with re-election in 2002 garnering the highest vote total for any winning Republican candidate nationwide and exceeding votes for any prior female candidate in Texas. As Comptroller from 1999 to 2007, Strayhorn emphasized fiscal , notably refusing to certify the state in 2003 over a $186 million shortfall, which compelled legislative action to address shortfalls. Her tenure involved aggressive audits and transparency initiatives targeting and uncollected taxes, recovering millions in owed revenues through . Following her death on March 26, 2025, at age 85, tributes highlighted her as a trailblazing figure who broke gender barriers in governance. Her family's praised her "tireless dedication and to get things done," noting her firmness on principles. ordered flags lowered to half-staff in her honor, recognizing her service across multiple elected offices. Contemporaries and media outlets, including the Tribune and Austin American-Statesman, described her as an irrepressible campaigner and pioneer who advanced women's roles in state politics. Strayhorn's enduring impact lies in shattering ceilings for women in Texas and promoting through oversight mechanisms that influenced subsequent comptrollers' approaches to budgeting and audits. Her 2006 independent gubernatorial bid, though unsuccessful, underscored her willingness to prioritize over , contributing to discussions on intra-Republican dynamics and transparency in the state. By demonstrating viability for candidates in high-stakes races, she paved the way for increased representation in Texas roles.

References

  1. https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/26/carole-strayhorn-texas-comptroller-died/
  2. http://library.austintexas.gov/ahc/carole-keeton
  3. https://austinmonitor.com/stories/2025/03/carole-keeton-strayhorn-austins-first-woman-mayor-dies-at-85/
  4. https://txarchives.org/aushc/finding_aids/00697.xml
  5. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/carole-keeton-strayhorn-has-guts-carole-keeton-strayhorn-is-nuts-discuss/
  6. https://texasarchive.org/2017_03620
  7. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Strayhorn-rips-claims-as-phony-attacks-1898894.php
  8. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Strayhorn-I-ve-always-challenged-the-status-quo-1526770.php
  9. https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/strayhorn-blasts-foster-care-system-11726350/
  10. https://www.texastribune.org/2005/06/20/grandma-hits-the-pool-first/
  11. https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/shes-her-own-grandma-11726560/
  12. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/carole-keeton-comptroller-austin-mayor-20243456.php
  13. https://www.ncpathinktank.org/w18/carole-keeton-strayhorn/
  14. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127434578/curtis_hill-rylander
  15. https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Comptroller-marries-high-school-sweetheart-7740553.php
  16. https://www.myplainview.com/news/article/Comptroller-takes-oath-after-marrying-high-school-9089003.php
  17. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Strayhorn-says-parties-may-change-politics-don-t-1492572.php
  18. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2025/03/26/former-austin-mayor-state-comptroller-carole-keeton-strayhorn-dies-at-85/82682790007/
  19. https://theaustinbulldog.org/austin-city-council-election-1977/
  20. https://library.austintexas.gov/ahc/carole-keeton
  21. https://ahc.access.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/2176
  22. https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=16303
  23. https://www.rrc.texas.gov/about-us/commissioners/commissioner-list/
  24. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/austin-tx/carole-keeton-12308993
  25. https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/1996-11-01/525511/
  26. https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2003/01/13/Texas-faces-99-billion-budget-shortfall/47121042483158/
  27. https://www.keranews.org/archive/2004-04-19/texas-comptroller-issues-revenue-forecast?_amp=true
  28. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Ex-comptroller-Strayhorn-finds-vindication-in-1690514.php
  29. https://www.kcbd.com/story/2029976/tx-state-comptroller-calls-for-audit-of-chip-program/
  30. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2005/09/09/donor-to-comptroller-strayhorn-touted-its-tax-reduction-techniques/
  31. https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2005-09-23/292553/
  32. https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Comptroller-takes-oath-after-marrying-high-school-7804797.php
  33. https://www.npr.org/2006/11/03/6429161/friedman-shakes-up-texas-governor-race
  34. https://www.texasobserver.org/2334-carole-the-chameleon-after-four-surnames-and-three-party-labels-will-the-real-carole-strayhorn-please-stand-up/
  35. https://elections.texastribune.org/texas-election-results/texas-2006-general-election/935/
  36. https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2006&off=5&elect=0&fips=48&f=0
  37. https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/election-2006-key-texas-races-11727540/
  38. https://www.keranews.org/archive/2003-01-29/strayhorn-announces-returning-the-favor-plan
  39. https://www.texastribune.org/2003/06/23/the-lady-in-red/
  40. https://www.governing.com/archive/The-Lone-Comptroller.html
  41. https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/former-comptroller-strayhorn-predicted-budget-woes/
  42. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna11012387
  43. https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2008/11/strayhorn-makes-campaign-for-mayor-official/
  44. https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/strayhorn-leaves-gop-primary-and-goes-indie-11724609/
  45. https://www.texastribune.org/2006/01/09/switch-now-fight-later/
  46. https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2006-01-06/323043/
  47. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/23/us/texans-who-oppose-highway-may-spell-trouble-for-governor.html
  48. https://austinmonitor.com/stories/2005/05/ranchers-decry-trans-transit-corridor/
  49. https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2004/08/23/daily3.html
  50. https://www.texastribune.org/texas-weekly/vol-26/no-30/people/
  51. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2012/09/01/perrys-toll-road-sins-mostly-in-woulda-coulda-status-now/9774091007/
  52. https://austinmonitor.com/stories/2005/03/strayhorn-report-rips-rma/
  53. https://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1065&context=tma
  54. https://www.keranews.org/archive/2003-01-13/legislators-react-to-budget-shortfall
  55. https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/20/us/national-briefing-southwest-texas-comptroller-rejects-budget.html
  56. https://www.keranews.org/archive/2003-06-19/strayhorn-refuses-to-certify-state-budget
  57. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jun-20-na-texas20-story.html
  58. https://www.texastribune.org/2003/07/28/siege-state/
  59. https://www.chron.com/news/politics/article/Strayhorn-says-Perry-vendetta-is-behind-audit-1987686.php
  60. https://www.keranews.org/government/2005-09-08/strayhorn-audit-review-a-political-witch-hunt
  61. https://www.texastribune.org/2005/09/12/another-september-more-storm-clouds/
  62. https://cemetery.texas.gov/locate-a-plot/plotholder/carole-keeton
  63. https://www.kvue.com/article/news/mayors-weigh-in-on-accomplishments-austins-challenges/269-310975268
  64. https://www.kut.org/politics/2018-01-22/texas-comptroller-the-state-bureaucrat-who-can-grind-budgets-to-a-halt
  65. https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/why-are-flags-in-texas-at-half-staff-honoring-carole-keeton/
  66. https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/carole-keeton-texas-death-austin-mayor-comptroller/
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