Hollins on successful bid for Houston controller: 'We did it, y’all'

Chris Hollins, who gained prominence as the interim clerk for Texas's largest county during the 2020 election cycle, is set to become the next controller for the city of Houston, according to unofficial results. The Democrat outperformed Orlando Sanchez in the race for the city's financial watchdog role.

Upon learning about his victory, Hollins took to Twitter on December 9 and said, "We did it, y’all." Earlier this year, a report from Houston Daily revealed that Hollins initially intended to succeed Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner before deciding to withdraw from the crowded mayoral race and instead vie for the controller position.

In another significant electoral outcome, Texas State Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston) garnered at least 60% of the vote, defeating U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee and becoming Bayou City’s first new mayor in a decade.

Hollins will succeed Chris Brown as controller. As per the information available on the controller's office website, this role is essentially equivalent to being the city's chief financial officer. "The Office of the City Controller certifies the availability of funds prior to City Council approval of City commitments, processes and monitors disbursements exceeding one billion dollars annually, invests the City's funds, conducts internal audits of the City's departments and federal grant programs, operates and maintains its financial management system, conducts the sale of public improvement and revenue bonds and produces an Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR)," reads a statement on their website.

Houston National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate KUHF News reported that Hollins secured just over 59% of votes to defeat Sanchez. As he steps into his new role as controller, one of Hollins' key challenges will be managing significant fiscal issues arising from cessation of federal COVID-19 assistance to the city.