Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announces he’s running for fourth term

AUSTIN – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will run for a fourth term of his influential role as lieutenant governor, he announced Friday, touting his first endorsement from President Donald Trump.

Patrick said a more formal kickoff would follow the Legislative session, but that he wanted to make his intentions “known and official.”

“The campaign will begin soon enough, but with seven weeks still to go in the Legislative Session, my focus remains on the work to be done at the Capitol for the people of Texas,” he said in a statement.

The lieutenant governor, who presides over the state Senate, has used his bully pulpit to advance a conservative agenda that has included stricter border enforcement, increasing the role of religion in schools and property tax cuts.

The 75-year-old former radio host served two terms as a state senator from Harris County before he unseated three-term incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in 2014.

Patrick has been a close ally to Trump, who praised Patrick for his contributions as the Texas Chair of his presidential campaigns since 2016.

“In his next Term, Dan will fight tirelessly alongside of us to Secure the Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Champion School Choice, Support our Great Military/Vets, Restore American Energy DOMINANCE, and Strongly Protect our always under siege Second Amendment,” Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform.

Among those who identify as conservative, 33% of 1,200 registered voters polled by the University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Polling Project in February approved strongly of Patrick’s performance, while another 34% somewhat approved. Among voters of all ideologies — conservative, moderate and liberal, 37% approved of Patrick’s job performance.

Patrick is unlikely to face credible opposition, said Joshua Blank, research director of the Texas Polling Project.

Tyler Norris, a Republican political consultant, agreed that given Patrick’s political prowess, no significant opposition was expected.

“The degree to which he can accomplish his agenda changed the shape of the senate and Texas politics,” he said. “By the end of next term he will definitely be the most powerful lieutenant governor in Texas history, if he’s not already. From 2015 to today, he’s built a Senate that works extremely efficiently.”

Patrick is already one of the longest serving lieutenant governors in state history — ranking alongside Ben Ramsey as the third-longest. At the end of another four-year term, he’ll be the second longest-serving lieutenant governor.

Article originally published by The Texas Tribune. To read the originally published article, click here.