Strayhorn, Carole Keeton, 1939-

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<p>Carole Stewart Keeton (born September 13, 1939), formerly known as Carole Keeton McClellan, Carole Keeton Rylander and Carole Keeton Strayhorn, is an American politician and the former Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Keeton is notable for several firsts in Austin and Texas politics. She is 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.</p>

<p>In May 2009, Keeton lost her campaign for Mayor of Austin.</p>

<p><b>RACES</b>
<ul>
<li>05/09/2009 Austin, TX Mayor Lost 21.43% (-25.81%)</li>
<li>11/07/2006 TX Governor Lost 18.11% (-20.91%)</li>
<li>11/05/2002 TX Comptroller Won 64.16% (+31.24%)</li>
<li>11/03/1998 TX Comptroller Won 49.55% (+0.55%)</li>
<li>11/05/1996 TX Railroad Commissioner Won 58.29% (+19.27%)</li>
<li>11/08/1994 TX Railroad Commissioner - Special Election Won 51.99% (+7.12%)</li>
<li>03/10/1992 TX Railroad Commissioner - R Primary Lost 48.50% (-3.00%)</li>
<li>11/04/1986 TX District 10 Lost 27.68% (-44.64%)</li>
<li>05/02/1981 Austin, TX Mayor - Runoff Won 54.19% (+8.39%)</li>
<li>04/04/1981 Austin, TX Mayor Won 34.57% (+0.00%)</li>
<li>04/07/1979 Austin, TX Mayor Won 78.88% (+57.76%)</li>
<li>04/30/1977 Austin, TX Mayor - Run-off Won 50.85% (+1.70%)</li>
<li>04/02/1977 Austin, TX Mayor Won 47.39% (+10.99%)</li>
</ul>
</p>

<p>STRAYHORN, CAROLE KEETON (~) Carole Keeton Strayhorn was the first woman in history elected Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. She was re-elected with the highest vote total of any winning Republican in the nation and more votes than any woman candidate of either party. She is a fiscal conservative and “one tough grandma” watching out for Texas‘ who practices what she preaches: cutting spending, enlisting state employees as front-line soldiers in the battle against waste, providing incentives for innovation and shaking the rafters of state government until taxpayers are treated like satisfied customers and public policy partners. In 1999, Comptroller Strayhorn was the first recipient of the Friends of Texas Taxpayers Award from the Citizens for a Sound Economy.</p>

<p>Often called a trailblazer, Strayhorn has a resume full of “firsts” - first woman elected to the Texas Railroad Commission - and re-elected in 1996 with the highest vote total in a statewide contested race; first woman mayor of Austin and the only mayor elected for three successive terms; first woman president of the Austin School Board, and first woman president of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees. A longtime friend of law enforcement, Comptroller Strayhorn is a lifetime honorary member of the Austin Police Association.</p>

<p>Comptroller Strayhorn‘s lifelong record of achievement and public service is rooted in her passion for education. She began her career as a public school teacher. She was later elected to the Austin School Board with almost 75 percent of the vote. She also served as president of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees. Comptroller Strayhorn is applying her education expertise to make sure more of every tax dollar goes directly into the classroom where it belongs. Comptroller Strayhorn describes herself as an “education watchdog” for the people of Texas. She is a recipient of the Texas Classroom Teachers Association‘s Friend of Education Award.</p>