2026 Texas General Election

Dan Patrick - Ballotpedia

Lt. Governor - The Texas State Senate

Dan Patrick is originally from Maryland. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from University of Maryland. Patrick lives with his wife, Jan, and they have two children and eight grandchildren.

Dan currently works as the lieutenant governor of Texas and serves as the president of the Texas State Senate. He previously worked as a conservative talk radio host, television anchor, radio station owner, and founder of Talk Radio KSEV in the Houston/Galveston area, and he also founded the Lone Star Times. Patrick also operated a sports bar chain before transitioning into media.

Dan currently serves as the lieutenant governor of Texas. He was first elected in 2014 and is serving his third term. Patrick previously served as a Texas state senator for District 7. He served two terms from 2007 to 2015.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick formally launches 2026 re-election campaign

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick: Home

As state senator, cut the franchise tax by 25%.

Supports lowering property taxes as a central economic policy.

Supported a $100,000 homestead exemption for property taxes.

Presents the $100,000 homestead exemption as a nonnegotiable part of tax relief.

As lieutenant governor, delivered an $18 billion property tax cut.

Supports reducing business taxes and regulatory burdens to promote economic growth.

As a state senator, supported the $100,000 homestead exemption as part of the $18 billion property tax cut.

Supports legislative priorities focused on economic expansion.

- Supports lowering property taxes as a central economic policy.
- Presents the $100,000 homestead exemption as a nonnegotiable part of tax relief.
- Supports reducing business taxes and regulatory burdens to promote economic growth.
- Supports legislative priorities focused on economic expansion.

Economy

Dan Patrick - Wikipedia

Opposes abortion and has supported legislation restricting access.

Opposes pathways toward recreational marijuana legalization.

- Opposes abortion and has supported legislation restricting access.
- Opposes pathways toward recreational marijuana legalization.

Healthcare

Wants to "strengthen our grid by adding additional reliable dispatchable power."

Supports oil and gas production and policies protecting the industry.

Supports strengthening the electric grid through additional reliable power.

- Supports oil and gas production and policies protecting the industry.
- Supports strengthening the electric grid through additional reliable power.

Energy & the Environment

Dan Patrick secures third term as Texas lieutenant governor

Supports increased law enforcement resources and public safety funding.

Supports stronger criminal penalties for firearm-related crimes while backing gun rights.

Believes violent video games are a contributing factor to mass shootings.

- Supports increased law enforcement resources and public safety funding.
- Supports stronger criminal penalties for firearm-related crimes while backing gun rights.
- Believes violent video games are a contributing factor to mass shootings.

Public Safety

Supports expanded border security measures and enforcement funding.

- Supports expanded border security measures and enforcement funding.
- Supports military members and veterans.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick plans to run for reelection

Supports providing a high-quality education for all.

Supports school choice, including using state dollars for nontraditional schooling, while arguing rural schools can be protected.

Supports school voucher programs, which allow parents to use public funds to enroll their children in schools beyond their local options, including private schools.

Supports legislation to end the teaching of critical race theory and abolish diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in universities.

Supports raising teacher pay and providing additional payments to retired teachers.

Wants to reform tenure practices in higher education.

- Supports school choice, including using state dollars for nontraditional schooling, while arguing rural schools can be protected.
- Supports legislation to end the teaching of critical race theory and abolish diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in universities.
- Supports raising teacher pay and providing additional payments to retired teachers.
- Wants to reform tenure practices in higher education.

Education

Criticized the impeachment process used against Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Previously expressed support for term-limit principles but later indicated plans to seek reelection.

- Criticized the impeachment process used against Attorney General Ken Paxton.
- Previously expressed support for term-limit principles but later indicated plans to seek reelection.

Voting & Elections

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Dan Patrick

Buket Urgen

Texas lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2026 (March 3 Democratic ...

Vikki Goodwin is originally from Dallas. She earned a bachelor's degree in marketing and government and a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Texas at Austin. She lives with her family in southwest Austin.

Vikki currently works as the owner of a residential real estate company. She previously worked as a systems analyst for the Office of the Attorney General of Texas.

Vikki currently serves as the representative for Texas House of Representatives District 47. She was first elected in 2018 and is serving her fourth term.

Supports raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour and increasing the wage for tipped workers.

Supports small businesses and plans to implement reforms to help them compete with large corporations and address rising costs and insurance premiums.

Supports using the state's surplus for initiatives like the Fair Rent Incentive Act while prioritizing teacher pay increases, childcare center tax exemptions, and infrastructure investments.

Supports allowing Texans to vote on legalizing gambling in the state, believing it would generate revenue, create jobs, and boost tourism if properly regulated.

Supports allowing Texans to vote on legalizing gambling, believing it would generate revenue, create jobs, and boost tourism.

Supports regulating THC to ensure public safety through age restrictions, testing standards, and proper labeling requirements.

Supports legalizing and regulating cannabis to ensure public safety through age restrictions, testing standards, and proper labeling requirements.

Said "I remain committed to meaningful property tax reform for Texas families."

- Supports raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour and increasing the wage for tipped workers.
- Supports small businesses and plans to implement reforms to help them compete with large corporations and address rising costs and insurance premiums.
- Supports using the state's surplus for initiatives like the Fair Rent Incentive Act while prioritizing teacher pay increases, childcare center tax exemptions, and infrastructure investments.
- Supports allowing Texans to vote on legalizing gambling, believing it would generate revenue, create jobs, and boost tourism.
- Supports legalizing and regulating cannabis to ensure public safety through age restrictions, testing standards, and proper labeling requirements.
- Said "I remain committed to meaningful property tax reform for Texas families."

Supports abortion and wants to "restore" access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare for all Texans.

Supports expanding Medicaid to reduce the high uninsured rate in Texas, ensure vulnerable populations receive care, and attract federal funding to the state.

Supports expanding Medicaid to reduce the high uninsured rates, ensure everyone receives care, and attract federal funding.

Supports extending postpartum Medicaid coverage, addressing provider shortages in rural areas, and reducing high maternal mortality rates, especially among Black women.

Supports extending postpartum Medicaid coverage, addressing provider shortages in rural areas, and reducing high maternal mortality rates.

Supports expanding mental health resources for Texans with depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Supports expanding mental health resources for Texans with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Opposes Medicaid cuts for children with special healthcare needs.

- Supports access to abortion.
- Supports expanding Medicaid to reduce the high uninsured rates, ensure everyone receives care, and attract federal funding.
- Supports extending postpartum Medicaid coverage, addressing provider shortages in rural areas, and reducing high maternal mortality rates.
- Supports expanding mental health resources for Texans with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Opposes Medicaid cuts for children with special healthcare needs.

Supports sustainable land management in Texas to minimize wildfire risks.

Supports strategies to address extreme weather and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, acknowledging their role in increasing wildfire danger in Texas.

Supports strategies to address extreme weather and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Believes access to water should be a priority for all Texans and supports improving water infrastructure through conservation and re-use policies.

- Supports sustainable land management in Texas to minimize wildfire risks.
- Supports strategies to address extreme weather and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Believes access to water should be a priority for all Texans and supports improving water infrastructure through conservation and re-use policies.

Supports gun control, "like stronger background checks, proper training requirements, and tools to investigate straw purchases without infringing on constitutional rights."

As a state representative, introduced "the Natalia Cox Act of 2023, which provides critical resources to domestic violence victims."

As a state representative, introduced House Bill 4863 to increase "mental health resources for first responders."

- Supports gun control, "like stronger background checks, proper training requirements, and tools to investigate straw purchases without infringing on constitutional rights."
- As a state representative, introduced "the Natalia Cox Act of 2023, which provides critical resources to domestic violence victims."
- As a state representative, introduced House Bill 4863 to increase "mental health resources for first responders."

Supports comprehensive immigration reform, including doubling visa caps and creating safe processing facilities in home countries.

- Supports comprehensive immigration reform, including doubling visa caps and creating safe processing facilities in home countries.

Believes low pay, excessive paperwork, constant testing, and safety concerns are causing many teachers to leave the profession and too few college students to choose teaching.

Believes low pay, excessive paperwork, constant testing, and safety concerns are causing a shortage of teachers.

Supports better pay for educators and support staff.

Supports reducing standardized testing in Texas schools.

Opposes school voucher programs, which are programs that allow families to use public school funds to access schools beyond their local option, including private schools.

Supports increasing school funding to avoid financial struggles for districts.

Supports expanding Pre-K eligibility to include children of all public school employees.

As a state representative, introduced legislation (House Bill 4598) to fund childcare programs through employer contributions.

Passed legislation "establishing the Texas Food System Security and Resiliency Planning Council," to increase access to fresh food.

- Believes low pay, excessive paperwork, constant testing, and safety concerns are causing a shortage of teachers.
- Supports better pay for educators and support staff.
- Supports reducing standardized testing in Texas schools.
- Opposes school voucher programs, which are programs that allow families to use public school funds to access schools beyond their local option, including private schools.
- Supports increasing school funding to avoid financial struggles for districts.
- Supports expanding Pre-K eligibility to include children of all public school employees.
- As a state representative, introduced legislation (House Bill 4598) to fund childcare programs through employer contributions.
- Passed legislation "establishing the Texas Food System Security and Resiliency Planning Council," to increase access to fresh food.

Supports the Empowering Texans Ballot Initiative Act (HJR 198), which would allow citizens to propose statewide ballot initiatives through a signature collection process.

Supports the Empowering Texans Ballot Initiative Act (House Joint Resolution 198), which would allow citizens to propose statewide ballot initiatives through a signature collection process.

Supports ranked choice voting, especially in city and school board elections, as a means to save money and increase voter impact on election outcomes.

Supports ranked choice voting, method where voters rank candidates in order of their preference, as a means to save money and increase voter impact on election outcomes.

- Supports the Empowering Texans Ballot Initiative Act (House Joint Resolution 198), which would allow citizens to propose statewide ballot initiatives through a signature collection process.
- Supports online voter registration.
- Supports ranked choice voting, method where voters rank candidates in order of their preference, as a means to save money and increase voter impact on election outcomes.

Vikki Goodwin

- The lieutenant governor is elected statewide by voters and is the second-highest elected official in Texas.
- They run the Texas Senate, deciding which bills are considered and who serves on Senate committees. This gives them major influence over state laws.
- They can cast a deciding vote in the Senate if there is a tie.
- The lieutenant governor helps shape the state budget and policy priorities by serving on key budget and oversight boards.
- If the governor is out of state, temporarily unable to serve, or leaves office, the lieutenant governor takes over the governor’s duties. If the governor leaves office permanently, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.
- The lieutenant governor serves a four-year term and can run again with no term limits.
- The position pays the same base salary as a Texas state legislator (about $7,200 a year), plus additional daily pay during legislative sessions.

Texas Lieutenant Governor

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