Kirk Watson (D)

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Personal Information

Baylor University (BA, JD)

Mayor Watson served as Mayor of Austin from 1997 to 2001. He ran unsuccessfully for Texas Attorney General in the 2002 election, when he was defeated by Republican Greg Abbott, later governor of Texas. In 2006, Watson was elected to the Texas Senate from District 14, serving from January 2007-April 2020.

In 2011, Watson was chosen by his Democratic colleagues to chair the Senate Democratic Caucus and served until 2015. On the first day of the 86th Legislature, he was chosen by his colleagues—Democrats and Republicans—to serve as president pro tempore.

Watson resigned from the Texas State Senate April 30, 2020 to become the first dean of the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs. He was re-elected in the 2022 Austin mayoral election to become Mayor of Austin for the second time.

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Contact and Phone Numbers

301 W. 2nd St., 2nd Floor
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 978-2100
(512) 974-2337
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General Contact for Austin
Mailing:
  301 West 2nd St. (78701)
  P.O. Box 1088
  Austin, TX 78767-1088
(512) 974-2000
austintexas.gov
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