Democrat Hank Gilbert has officially announced his decision to run for Texas Agriculture Commissioner today. He filed the necessary paperwork with the Texas Democratic Party to become the party's nominee to eventually face incumbent commissioner Todd Staples.
"When it comes to the Texas Agriculture Commission, there is no one in this race who has the experience that I do in agribusiness who will both run this agency effectively and protect the thousands of small, family farms we have across Texas," Gilbert said.
Gilbert will face entertainer Kinky Friedman in the primary and incumbent Todd Staples in the fall.
Gilbert says he has spent the last several years protecting small family farms. "Eminent domain, in the form of the Trans-Texas Corridor, threatened to destroy hundreds of thousands of family farm acres in this state," Gilbert said.
In the coming weeks, Gilbert noted that he would be touring the state to vigorously campaign for his party's nomination, and that the contrast between himself and his opponents will be stark.
"I am deeply involved in agribusiness in Texas, more than anyone in this race. I have the hands-on experience that my opponents lack-and the people of Texas need-in this position," he concluded.
