Tim Mahoney (Texas)

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Tim Mahoney

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 1, 2022

Education

Associate

Dallas Community College

Bachelor's

University of Texas, 1978

Graduate

University of Texas Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, 1983

Law

South Texas College of Law, 1991

Personal

Birthplace

Bethesda, Md.

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Tim Mahoney (Democratic Party) ran for election for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 1, 2022.

Mahoney completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Tim Mahoney was born in Bethesda, Maryland. Mahoney earned an associate degree from the Dallas Community College, a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas in 1978, a master's degree from the University of Texas Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs in 1982, and a law degree from the South Texas College of Law in 1991. His career experience includes working as an attorney, a journalist, the editor of the Texas Observer, and a chief notary for the petition drive of Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign in Texas. Mahoney served as the chair of the Austin Urban Forestry Board and as a community college trustee.

Elections

2022

See also: Texas Comptroller election, 2022

General election

General election for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Incumbent Glenn Hegar defeated Janet Dudding and V. Alonzo Echevarria-Garza in the general election for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Glenn Hegar (R)	56.4	4,496,319
		Janet Dudding (D)	40.9	3,265,069
	Submit photo	V. Alonzo Echevarria-Garza (L)	2.7	212,205

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,973,593
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Michael Berlanga (Independent)

Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Janet Dudding defeated Angel Vega in the Democratic primary runoff for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on May 24, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Janet Dudding	61.4	292,069
		Angel Vega	38.6	183,533

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 475,602
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Janet Dudding and Angel Vega advanced to a runoff. They defeated Tim Mahoney in the Democratic primary for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Janet Dudding	46.3	454,338
✔		Angel Vega	34.5	338,877
		Tim Mahoney	19.2	188,250

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 981,465
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Incumbent Glenn Hegar defeated Mark Goloby in the Republican primary for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Glenn Hegar	81.7	1,386,782
		Mark Goloby	18.3	310,829

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,697,611
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

V. Alonzo Echevarria-Garza advanced from the Libertarian convention for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on April 10, 2022.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	V. Alonzo Echevarria-Garza (L)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: Texas Comptroller election, 2018

General election

General election for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Incumbent Glenn Hegar defeated Joi Chevalier and Ben Sanders in the general election for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Glenn Hegar (R)	53.2	4,376,828
		Joi Chevalier (D)	43.4	3,570,693
		Ben Sanders (L)	3.4	281,081

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,228,602 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Joi Chevalier defeated Tim Mahoney in the Democratic primary for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joi Chevalier	51.9	483,276
		Tim Mahoney	48.1	448,468

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 931,744
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Incumbent Glenn Hegar advanced from the Republican primary for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate
✔		Glenn Hegar

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Tim Mahoney completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Mahoney's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was trained as a journalist, went to the LBJ School of Public Affairs, then to Law School. A practicing attorney since 1992, I have been increasingly appalled at what passes for public policy every two years at the Texas Legislature. We must find better ways of relating to each other, or I’m not sure our future will be of any real value to our children.

One of the first studies that I have participated in since this Campaign started is understanding that when we redistrict, we need to have compact districts. Our Texas Counties have been compact from before the Republic; constitutionally required to be between 700 and 900 square miles so farmers could travel to the county seat and back again in one day to vote. Texas districts in 2011, and in 2021, were developed through a hidden process where we had no clue where the sausage came from, let alone how it was made. If we make healthy compact electoral districts, that will go a long way towards better public policy. I will commit to on-going studies of our budget process, so that people can begin to see our government becoming transparent and worthy of our trust.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I believe that I have the skill sets and vision to utilize the resources of the Comptroller's Office so that every Region of the State will have a new relationship of empowerment to the central government.
• Redistricting and Budget Studies: Utilizing studies, and interacting with Texans in every region of the State to change the quality of Texas public policy so that we have affordable and quality educational systems, a healthcare system that works to keep all of us healthy, the end of the school to prison pipeline, and creating economic opportunities and good jobs around the State.
• Campaign will be based on building relationships in every region of the state, regions that make sense for the empowering citizens in the state.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I plan to change the role of the Comptroller of Public Accounts to that of the chief truth-teller of all things fiscal regarding the State of Texas. That has not been the case for a long time. Our educational system has become more expensive and less effective, our child and adult protection systems have become more punitive and less family enhancing, and the true cost of our state budget, and who it benefits, has become harder and harder to see. I have a vision for a Texas where Texans are empowered to see because the Comptroller’s office will provide a more effective fiscal vision.

I will commit to on-going studies of our Texas budget process, and program evaluations, so that people can begin to see our government becoming transparent and worthy of our trust. The new Comptroller should revamp the 12 Regions currently used into Regions that make sense. There is no explanation why Comptroller Hegar uses the current Regions. New Regions should be developed so information from the Comptroller’s office can be utilized to build communities that are healthy, rather than to enrich those that are already wealthy.

The Texas Comptroller’s office is the largest public data center in Texas, and as such, should begin to produce information in a transparent form that enhances every region in Texas. If we understand that there is more power in collaboration than in division, we can begin to build a Texas government that belongs to all Texans.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The Texas Comptroller’s office is the largest public data center in Texas, which should produce information in a transparent form that enhances every region in Texas. Texas should have an economy that is open to all citizens, and for the benefit of all Texans, utilizing the data that is the Texas Comptroller’s office. Texas should have an open budget process that is public, accessible, and transparent, with budget studies that demonstrate the efficacy and efficiency of Texas programs. It is not by accident that citizens access to healthcare, education, and social services has diminished over the years. Making some sort of division between local and State taxes, which are all are paid for by Texas residents, is the worst of mean-spirited tricks.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Recently someone asked me why I became interested in politics, and I answered that many years ago I realized that most people who are elected to a political office do not care about most people, and I thought that is something I could do. That notion sparked a life-long interest in all things related to public education and public empowerment. For me, empowerment was always something more important than a political philosophy or trying to find out where one was on the political spectrum. It was trying to figure out how we could build and sustain community collaboration so that our future communities would not be as challenged as we have been in the past, or today, in having a sustainable future that benefits our children, and their future communities. For me, the Comptroller's office provides a unique opportunity to anchor this philosophy. As former Senator Ralph Yarborough used to say, “Put the jam on the lower shelves so the little people can reach it.”

What legacy would you like to leave?

That I was able to leave the world a little stronger, that people understand that families are where we come from, and where we go to, and that generally speaking, we are all better off if we are kinder to each other.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was delivering newspapers, the Dallas Morning News in Dallas. Texas, and I had the job for about two years from when I was about 14 to 16. It was probably this experience that sparked my interest in journalism, that and the Nixon impeachment events, and the civil rights movement generally.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Sun rise, sun set" was the first thing that popped into my head, the song form "Fiddler on the Roof"

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The role of the Comptroller of Public Accounts should be the chief truth-teller of all things fiscal regarding the State of Texas. That has not been the case for a long time. Former Comptroller Bob Bullock used to have his “Raiders” teams go out to locations around the state to enhance sales tax collections. Our educational system has become more expensive and less effective, our child and adult protection systems have become more punitive and less family enhancing, and the true cost of our state budget, and who it benefits, has become harder and harder to see.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

I was trained as a journalist in the 1970s, went to the LBJ School of Public Affairs in the 1980s, then to Law School. I have been a practicing attorney since 1992. I believe that the ability to have a vision for how Texas might be is important. I was telling one journalist recently that one of the first things taught is the five W’s, and it just gives you a trained sense of walking into a scene and getting a feel for what’s happening, As a student of public policy, I can see how to put facts and figures into play, and as a attorney, I believe I understand pitfalls between what people say, and what they do.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Mahoney's campaign website stated the following:

“	Tim Mahoney Supports These Issues And More Fairness For The Average Citizen Robust, Secure And Weatherized Power Grid Spend Texas Resources On Issues Important To Texans Education That Is Affordable For Texas Children And Adults	”
—Tim Mahoney's campaign website (2022)

See also

2022 Elections

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Candidate

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Website

Facebook

• Campaign website
• LinkedIn page
• Comptroller of Texas