Carole Keeton Strayhorn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 36th Comptroller of Texas | |
| In office January 20, 1999 – January 20, 2007 | |
| Governor | George W. Bush Rick Perry |
| Preceded by | John Sharp |
| Succeeded by | Susan Combs |
| Railroad Commissioner of Texas | |
| In office December 10, 1994 – January 3, 1999 | |
| Governor | Ann Richards George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Mary Scott Nabers |
| Succeeded by | Michael Williams |
| 49th Mayor of Austin | |
| In office 1977 – February 1983 | |
| Preceded by | Jeff Friedman |
| Succeeded by | Ron Mullen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Carole Stewart Keeton September 13, 1939 Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (Before 1986, 2014–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Republican (1986–2006) Independent (2006–2014) |
| Spouse(s) | Barr McClellan (Divorced) Curtis Rylander (Divorced) Ed Strayhorn (Divorced) |
| Children | 4, including Scott and Mark |
| Parent |
|
| Education | University of Texas at Austin (BA) |
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.
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.
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.
In May 2009, Keeton lost her campaign for Mayor of Austin.