Austin Update, a broadcast initiative by the Texas House of Representatives Video and Audio Services, features interviews with various members of the Texas government. In this segment, State Representative Ron Clark speaks with Lieutenant Governor Rick Perry. Perry discusses the powers given to lieutenant governor, which exceed those of the same position in other states. The office selects committee members and chairs, decides which bills may be presented on the Senate floor, and operates as acting governor in the absence of the governor.
Ronald “Ron” Clark was born on January 5, 1953, in Caripito, Venezuela. He attended the University of Connecticut before joining the US Army in 1974, serving two years. Clark then moved to Texas to pursue a law degree. After graduating from the University of Texas School of Law in 1979, he became an assistant city attorney in the City Attorney’s Office of Abilene. Three years later, Clark went into private practice and settled in Sherman.
Clark began a political career in 1996 with a campaign for State Representative from the 62nd District. He won, eventually serving three terms in the Texas House of Representatives. Clark was reelected for a fourth term, but was never sworn in. In January 2002, President George W. Bush nominated him for a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The United States Senate confirmed his lifetime appointment in October 2002. Clark became chief judge of the court in January 2015.
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