To help readers learn more about the candidates seeking statewide office, High Plains Pundit is sharing background information on the leading contenders in the Texas lieutenant governor primary. In races with large fields, the focus here is on candidates who bring political experience, institutional influence, or public prominence.
About the office
The lieutenant governor is Texas’ second-highest statewide executive position and is widely considered one of the most powerful roles in state government. Unlike lieutenant governors in many other states, Texas’ lieutenant governor wields extensive authority over the legislative process. The officeholder presides over the Texas Senate and plays a central role in shaping the chamber’s agenda, appointing committee chairs and members, and deciding how legislation moves forward. The lieutenant governor also has the authority to break tie votes and rule on procedural disputes, giving the office substantial leverage over policy outcomes and internal Senate dynamics.
Beyond the Senate floor, the lieutenant governor serves as a co-chair of the Legislative Budget Board, which drafts the state budget, and sits on the Legislative Redistricting Board, which redraws political boundaries if lawmakers fail to do so during the regular legislative process. Collectively, these responsibilities allow the lieutenant governor to influence not only which bills become law, but also how state resources are allocated and how political power is distributed across Texas.
What’s at stake in this race
Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is seeking a fourth term after more than a decade in the role. During his tenure, Patrick has steadily pushed the Legislature in a more conservative direction and has consolidated influence within the Senate by backing candidates aligned with his priorities. His leadership style and use of Senate rules have helped produce a chamber that often advances legislation closely aligned with his agenda.
If Patrick were to lose the primary or the general election, the impact would likely extend well beyond a single office. Within the Republican Party, his departure would leave a leadership vacuum, particularly among Senate Republicans who have operated within a system shaped by his approach. At the same time, the formal powers of the lieutenant governor are not fixed by the state constitution alone. Senate rules are adopted by senators at the start of each legislative session. Should a Democrat win the office while Republicans retain control of the Senate, lawmakers could revise those rules to significantly reduce the lieutenant governor’s authority, altering the balance of power in the Legislature.
Republican primary: Dan Patrick
Dan Patrick enters the Republican primary as the incumbent and overwhelming favorite. He was first elected lieutenant governor in 2014 after defeating then-incumbent David Dewhurst in the Republican primary and has since won reelection twice. Before holding statewide office, Patrick served as a state senator from Houston and built a public profile as a conservative talk radio host, sports bar owner, and television sportscaster.
Patrick is one of the most prominent conservative figures in Texas politics. He has consistently emphasized social and fiscal conservatism, including policies that elevate the role of religion in public life, restrict abortion access, and strengthen immigration enforcement. On fiscal issues, he has focused on limiting property tax growth, expanding homestead exemptions, and advocating for measures aimed at stabilizing the state’s electric grid. His tenure has also included support for high-profile cultural issues, such as legislation affecting LGBTQ+ Texans and restrictions on how race and gender are discussed in public school classrooms.
At the same time, Patrick has occasionally advanced initiatives that have drawn criticism from within his own party. These include efforts to support the film and television industry through tax incentives and the creation of a state-backed dementia research institute. Earlier in his legislative career, he founded the Legislature’s Tea Party Caucus, reflecting his long-standing alignment with grassroots conservative movements.
Patrick’s policy agenda for another term includes further property tax relief through expanded exemptions, opposition to fully eliminating property taxes, continued support for school voucher programs, stricter measures against illegal immigration, preservation of the state’s abortion ban, and a ban on THC products. He is well-funded, with tens of millions of dollars in campaign cash and backing from major donors in the energy, business, and conservative advocacy sectors. His endorsements include high-profile Republican leaders and influential political action committees.
Other Republicans, including Perla Muñoz Hopkins, Timothy Mabry, and Esala Wueschner, are also running in the primary, though they have far less visibility and financial support.
Democratic primary: Vikki Goodwin
Vikki Goodwin is one of the leading Democrats seeking the nomination for lieutenant governor. She has served in the Texas House since 2019, representing parts of southwest Austin and Travis County. Goodwin unseated a Republican incumbent in her first election and has since built a reputation as a reliable vote for progressive priorities within the House.
Her legislative work includes authoring and sponsoring bills focused on public safety and consumer protection, such as measures related to child drowning prevention and notification requirements for victims of domestic violence. Within the Democratic caucus, she has held a leadership role as a whip for the Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus, helping coordinate votes among its members.
Ideologically, Goodwin is widely viewed as one of the more liberal members of the Texas House. Her campaign emphasizes increased funding for public education, higher teacher pay, investment in water infrastructure, and policies aimed at housing affordability, including incentives to lower rent. She also supports repealing the state’s abortion ban and expanding Medicaid coverage, positions that align with the broader Democratic platform in Texas.
Goodwin’s campaign has significantly fewer financial resources than her Republican counterpart, but she has secured endorsements from numerous Democratic state representatives, local elected officials in Austin, and U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett. Her candidacy reflects a broader Democratic effort to highlight education funding and cost-of-living issues, even as the party faces long odds in statewide races.
Democratic primary: Marcos Vélez
Marcos Vélez offers a different profile within the Democratic field. He comes from a labor background, having worked as an oilworker before becoming a labor leader and serving as assistant director of United Steelworkers District 13. His career has centered on labor organizing and advocacy for working-class Texans, particularly in the energy sector.
Vélez’s political message focuses on support for working families and opposition to what he characterizes as excessive corporate influence in politics. His policy priorities include additional property tax relief, an increased minimum wage, higher public school funding and teacher pay, protections for rural water resources and farmland, and measures aimed at improving affordability for seniors.
Financially, Vélez’s campaign is modest but has benefited from organized labor support, including contributions and in-kind assistance from unions and progressive organizations. He has received endorsements from labor groups and progressive caucuses, particularly in the Houston area, reflecting his roots in union politics.
Courtney Head is also running in the Democratic primary, though she has attracted less public attention than Goodwin and Vélez.
Looking ahead
The lieutenant governor race underscores the sharp ideological divide between Texas Republicans and Democrats, as well as the outsized influence of the office itself. On the Republican side, the primary largely centers on whether voters want to continue Patrick’s leadership and policy direction. On the Democratic side, candidates are using the race to articulate alternative priorities and build visibility, even as the party faces structural challenges statewide.
