Chris Hollins drops out of Houston mayor race to run for city controller

HOUSTON - Chris Hollins is leaving the race for Houston mayor to run for city controller.

He announced his candidacy for city controller during a press conference on Thursday morning.

"As the Chief Financial Officer of the city, the controller plays a pivotal role in ensuring good stewardship of our tax dollars. I will fight every day to increase transparency and accountability in our city government, ensuring that every single dollar we invest in our city pays real dividends for our community," Hollins said. "I'm also excited by the potential for the office of the city controller to be Houston's chief innovation office, one that offers new ideas and best practices that will impact the lives of millions of Houstonians for the better."

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The announcement comes more than a year after Hollins announced he was running for mayor.

"When we embarked on this campaign 14 months ago, we were clear from the very beginning that this campaign wasn't about me. It was about Houston, the city that raised me, the city that we all love, and the city that my wife, Morgan, and I are proud to raise our family in. A city that has been amazing in its upward trajectory. But a city that has some real challenges, challenges that require real leadership," Hollins said. "And over the course of this journey, my love for the city of Houston, and my passion for solving the problems that we face as a community have only grown."

Hollins previously served as Harris County clerk during the 2020 election.

City controller will be on the ballot during the Nov. 7 general election this year.

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That election will also include the race for Houston mayor. Just last week, during a livestreamed church service, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee confirmed her run for mayor. Other candidates in the running include State Senator John Whitmire, former City Council member Amanda Edwards, Attorney Lee Kaplan, Council Member Robert Gallegos, and former METRO Chair Gilbert Garcia.