Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Ruth Ruggero Hughs as the secretary of state of Texas on August 19, 2019. She replaces outgoing Secretary of State David Whitley.
“Ruth is a proven leader who has done a tremendous job as both a commissioner and the chair of the Texas Workforce Commission,” Abbott said in a press release. “She has built strong relationships with the business community throughout Texas and has helped lead the way in developing the best workforce in the nation. I am proud to appoint Ruth as secretary of state and I am confident that her experience at the Texas Workforce Commission will translate into success in this new role. Under Ruth’s leadership, we will continue to build the Texas brand on the international stage and uphold the integrity of our elections.”
Hughs served as chair of the Texas Workforce Commission since August 2018 and was first appointed in July 2015. She received her law degree from Rutgers Law School in Camden and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 2003. Hughs was first licensed in New Jersey in 1995.