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Lt. Col. Dan Patrick ran for the fourth term of his influential role as lieutenant governor, promoting his first support from President Donald Trump on Friday.
Patrick said a more formal kickoff would follow the legislative meeting, but he said he wanted his intentions to be “known and official.”
“The campaign will start soon, but seven weeks will still focus on work that will be done at the Capitol for the people of Texans to participate in legislative sessions,” he said in a statement.
The lieutenant governor, who presides over the state senator, used the bully’s pulpit to advance a conservative agenda, including stricter border enforcement, increasing the role of religion in schools and fixed asset tax cuts.
The 75-year-old former radio host served two terms as Harris County state senator before releasing Lt. Col. David Dewhurst, a three-year incumbent, in 2014.
Patrick has been a close ally with Trump since 2016, who praised Patrick for his contributions as chairman of the Texas presidential election.
“In the next semester, Dan will fight tirelessly with us to secure borders, stop immigration crime, stop the economy, cut down on taxes and regulations, reduce school choices, support our great military/veterinarians, restore control of America’s energy, and always protect us under the ever-besieged Article 2.”
Of those who identified as conservative, 33% of the 1,200 registered voters who voted on the University of Texas Austin Texas Voting Project in February strongly approved Patrick’s performance, with another 34% somewhat approved. Of all ideological voters, conservative and moderately liberal, 37% approved Patrick’s job performance.
Patrick is unlikely to face credible opposition, said Joshua Blank, research director for the Texas voting project.
Republican political consultant Tyler Norris agreed that no significant opposition was expected given Patrick’s political capabilities.
“The extent to which he could achieve his agenda has changed the way Senate and Texas politics,” he said. “By the end of the next semester, he will undoubtedly be the most powerful lieutenant governor in Texas history. If he hasn’t yet. From 2015 until today, he has built a Senate that works very efficiently.”
Patrick is already one of the longest serving EU governors in state history, and is ranked third longest along with Ben Ramsey. At the end of another four-year term, he will become the second longest serving lieutenant governor.
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