Patrick launches group after losing lieutenant governor race
The former Republican lieutenant governor announced a new organization to influence Texas legislation after losing his reelection bid by six points.
By Arjun Weber ·
Dan Patrick lost his bid for reelection as Texas lieutenant governor by a margin of six percentage points on November 3. The defeat marked a significant shift in the state's political balance, ending his tenure in the second-most powerful legislative office in the nation.
Patrick announced a new political venture called Patrick Strategies on Monday. He stated that the group will focus on advancing conservative and pro-business legislation in Texas despite his departure from elected office. The organization’s website emphasizes Patrick’s extensive experience within the Texas Legislature and his detailed knowledge of procedural rules governing the House and Senate.
During an interview on The Mark Davis Show on Monday, Patrick explained his motivation for the new role. "I'm going to announce Patrick Strategies today," he said. "That's how I will fight. That's what we're going to do." He described the group as a vehicle to continue pushing his policy priorities without the constraints of holding a seat.
Patrick addressed the unexpected Democratic gains in the November 3 election, referring to the result as a "blue wave." He acknowledged the need to accept the outcome to move forward. "If we don't live in the reality of what happened, then we cannot fix the future," Patrick said. He noted that while Republicans did not lose ground in rural areas, Democrats gained votes there, citing a specific increase for Democratic candidate Talarico.
The former lieutenant governor attributed the Republican loss to economic concerns rather than cultural divides. He argued that voters sought tangible financial improvement. "They wanted change because they didn't have enough change in their pockets," Patrick said. He admitted that the party had operated under a false assumption of a ten-point lead, which led to a lack of effective communication.
Patrick characterized the election as fair and praised the Democratic organization for guiding voters through the ballot. He acknowledged that the party had known gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott faced a difficult race. "We thought enough votes would come back for Abbott, myself and down-ballot. Well, Mark, we lost everything," he said. The loss left Democrats in control of the lieutenant governor's office, which traditionally presides over the state Senate.
When asked by host Mark Davis if Senate Republicans should alter chamber rules to limit the authority of incoming Democrat Vikki Goodwin, Patrick agreed. "I think the Senate should do that," he said. He stated that he had planned to change those rules had he won the election. Patrick emphasized that the lieutenant governor derives power from the Senate and holds the most influential legislative position in the country.
Patrick advised Senate Republicans to maintain their majority despite losing statewide offices. "If you lose the statewide offices and you still have the majority in the Senate, which we do..you shouldn't give up your majority because the governor lost or the lieutenant governor lost or the attorney general lost," he said. Incoming lieutenant governor Vikki Goodwin responded to the criticism, stating that she supported Republicans standing up for their voters.
