Carlos Cascos

Cascos was born in the city of Matamoros in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. He emigrated to the United States as a child and became a permanent resident and citizen during adolescence.[2] Cascos studied at the University of Texas at Austin. He and his wife, Aurora Candida G. Cascos (born 1953), have two daughters, Andrea and Cassandra.[3]

He is also currently the CPA at the Brownsville law firms of Pattillo, Brown & Hill and John T. Floyd.[3]

Cascos was elected county judge of Cameron County in far South Texas in November 2006, when he unseated the 12-year incumbent, Gilberto Hinojosa, who in 2012 became the current Texas Democratic state party chairman. In tapping Cascos for Secretary of State, Abbott said that Cascos has "proven leadership experience. [He is] someone who understands how government works, someone who can cultivate strong bonds along the border as well as someone who can advance Texas' interests both at home and abroad."[4] Abbott added, "He is a person I have known for years and whose judgment I trust.".[2]

Abbott announced Cascos's selection on November 11, 2014, one week after Abbott's own victory over Wendy R. Davis for governor and Cascos's companion triumph for a third term as the county judge of Cameron County in far South Texas. Abbott polled 42 percent of the vote in traditionally Democratic Cameron County. Cascos defeated the Democrat Joe Rivera, the outgoing Cameron County clerk. Cascos will succeed Nandita Berry, the eighth person to hold the position of secretary of state since 2000 under the outgoing administration of Governor Rick Perry. Berry will step down after a full year in office to return to private life in Houston.[4]

Cascos said that as secretary of state he would develop a comprehensive water plan and represent Texas in consultations with Mexico regarding treaties impacting the use of the Rio Grande. He also plans to seek a role for American companies in the development of an ongoing energy boom in northern Mexico.[4]

In 2004, Governor Perry appointed Cascos to the Texas Public Safety Commission. After he became county judge, Perry named Cascos as the presiding officer of the Texas Border Security Council.[4]