Charles Matthews (Texas politician)
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Rick Perry (2000–2005)
Charles Ray Matthews | |
|---|---|
| Railroad Commissioner of Texas | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 31, 2005 | |
| Governor | George W. Bush (1995–2000) Rick Perry (2000–2005) |
| Preceded by | James E. Nugent |
| Succeeded by | Elizabeth Ames Jones |
| Chancellor of the Texas State University System | |
| In office 2005–2010 | |
| Preceded by | Lamar Urbanovsky |
| Succeeded by | Brian McCall |
| Mayor of Garland, Texas | |
| In office 1984–1986 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 19, 1939 Waco, Texas, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Businessman, teacher, politician |
Charles Ray Matthews (born May 19, 1939) is a former member and chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission and the chancellor-emeritus of the Texas State University System. Based in Austin, Texas, his service on the Railroad Commission extended from 1995 to 2005; as chancellor, from 2005 to 2010.[1]
A native of Waco, Texas, Matthews received his higher education later in life, having graduated with a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies in 1994 from the University of Texas at Dallas. In 1999, he received a master's degree in public administration from Texas State University in San Marcos, then known as Southwest Texas State University. In 2006, he was awarded a PhD in higher education administration from the University of Texas at Austin.[1][2]
Political career
From 1984 to 1986, Matthews was the mayor of Garland, Texas, a nonpartisan position in which he worked to reduce the tax rate and to cut municipal expenditures. In 1986, he lost a race for county judge in Dallas County.[2]
In 1994, he unseated veteran Democratic Railroad Commissioner James E. Nugent. Matthews outpolled Nugent, 2,046,614 votes (49.8 percent) to 1,978,759 (48.1 percent). Another 84,769 votes were cast (2.1 percent) for the Libertarian Rich Draheim.[3] In 2000, Matthews won reelection to the Railroad Commission without Democratic opposition. He received 3,633,901 votes (77 percent), with the remaining 23 percent split between two minor party contenders.[4]
As railroad commissioner, Matthews supported more exploration for natural gas to meet future electricity needs.[5]
