Editor’s note: To help readers learn more about primary candidates, The Texas Tribune is sharing background information on top candidates. In particularly crowded races, we focused on candidates who have political experience or prominence. For a full list of the candidates running in this race view our primary ballot page. For more information on the primaries and the voting process, check out our voter guide here.
About the elected seat: The lieutenant governor, Texas’ second-highest state executive, presides over the state Senate and, in that role, largely controls the flow of legislation in the chamber. Because of this, the office is often described as the most powerful in Texas government. The Senate’s rules put the lieutenant governor in charge of the chamber’s agenda and standing committees, along with the power to break ties and decide procedural questions. Taken together, this gives the office significant influence over which bills make it to the governor’s desk and how much clout each senator wields. Additionally, the lieutenant governor co-chairs the Legislative Budget Board, which develops the state budget, and sits on the Legislative Redistricting Board, which is in charge of redrawing political maps if the Legislature fails to do so.
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What’s at stake: Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a close ally of President Donald Trump who chaired all three of his presidential campaigns in Texas, is seeking a fourth term. As lieutenant governor, Patrick has spent the last decade pushing the Legislature steadily to the right. Patrick’s ouster would create a vacuum in Texas Republican politics and within the Senate, where he has built a stable of reliable GOP allies who often march in lockstep with their presiding officer. Although the lieutenant governor is currently one of the most powerful offices in the state, much of that authority is bestowed by the Senate rules approved by the chamber each regular session. If a Democrat is elected in November, the Republican-led Senate would likely rewrite its rules to strip the office of its major powers, marking a significant shift in the dynamics of the Legislature.
Candidates at a glance:
Dan Patrick
Republican, incumbent
💰 Campaign finance:
- $37.7 million cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- West Texas oil billionaire Tim Dunn’s Texans United for A Conservative Majority PAC – $350,000
- Real estate developer and businessman Ross Perot Jr., board chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – $250,000
- Attorney James Perkins – $250,000
- Businessman Drayton McLane Jr. – $250,000
- Investment analyst Kenneth Fisher – $250,000
Experience:
- Republican lieutenant governor first elected in 2014, defeating then-incumbent David Dewhurst in the GOP primary
- State senator from 2007 to 2015
- Former conservative talk radio host, sports bar owner and sportscaster for KHOU in Houston
Political ideology:
- Leading conservative voice in state government, promoting policies to infuse religion into public life and restricting abortion and immigration
- Describes himself as a Christian first and has referred to the United States as a “Christian nation”
- Social and fiscal conservative who has prioritized a mix of economic measures, such as limiting the growth of property taxes and shoring up the state’s electric grid, along with conservative “red meat” issues targeting LGBTQ+ Texans and restricting how race and gender can be discussed in classrooms
- Spearheaded creation of the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program and the Dementia Prevention Research Institute of Texas, receiving blowback from some conservatives
- As a state senator, founded the Legislature’s now-defunct Tea Party Caucus in 2010
Policy stances:
- Cut property taxes by increasing the school homestead exemption and lowering the age for the senior homestead exemption; against full elimination of property taxes
- Expand “school choice” through school vouchers that let families use taxpayer money to pay for their children’s private school tuition and other educational expenses
- Prevent illegal immigration
- Ban the sale of THC products
- Preserve Texas’ abortion ban
In the news:
Endorsements:
- President Donald Trump
- Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
- Texas Oil and Gas Association PAC
- Texas Farm Bureau’s AgFund
- Texas Right to Life PAC
- Several leading law enforcement PACs
How to contact or learn more:
info@danpatrick.org
P.O. Box 685085
Austin, Texas 78768
Vikki Goodwin
Democrat
💰 Campaign finance:
- $161,000 cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- Anne Hilbert – $5,051.83
- Karen Conyngham – $4,183.22
- Coleen Reatha Beck – $3,500
Experience:
- Democratic state representative first elected in 2018, defeating then-incumbent state Rep. Paul Workman, a Republican from Spicewood
- Represents southwest Austin and Travis County
- Authored Cati’s Act in 2023, creating drowning prevention requirements for child care organizations, including camps
- Sponsored the Natalia Cox Act in 2023, providing notice for victims of domestic violence
Political ideology:
- Consistently ranked as one of the most liberal Texas House members by Rice University political science professor Mark Jones
- Whip (i.e. vote wrangler) of the Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus
Policy stances:
- Increase public school funding and teacher pay
- Invest in water infrastructure and water recycling
- Pass the Fair Rent Incentive Act to incentivize lower rent
- Repeal the state’s abortion ban
- Expand Medicaid
In the news:
Endorsements:
- U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin
- 30+ Democratic state representatives
- Austin City Council members Ryan Alter, Marc Duchen, Vanessa Fuentes, Natasha Harper-Madison, Krista Laine, Zo Qadri and Chito Vela
How to contact or learn more:
AskMe@VikkiGoodwin.com
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160-315
Austin, TX
78748
Marcos Vélez
Democrat
💰 Campaign finance:
- $51,000 cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- Houstonians for Working Families – $58,900, including in-kind donation to pay for campaign launch video
- United Steel Workers – $20,000.00
Experience:
- Labor leader
- Assistant director of United Steelworkers District 13
- Former oilworker
- Received the USW’s Jefferson Award in 2018
Political ideology:
- Pro-labor
- Pro-working families
- Opposes “corporate greed”
Policy stances:
- Provide more property tax relief
- Increase the minimum wage
- Increase public school funding and teacher pay
- Protect rural water and farmland
- Support working families over corporate political donors
- Increase affordability for seniors
Endorsements:
- Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus
- Houston Progressive Caucus
How to contact or learn more:
info@velezfortexas.com
Disclosure: Rice University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.