{"id":133499,"date":"2026-01-22T13:37:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T13:37:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/133499\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T13:37:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T13:37:18","slug":"top-candidates-in-the-2026-texas-lieutenant-governors-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/133499\/","title":{"rendered":"Top candidates in the 2026 Texas lieutenant governor’s race"},"content":{"rendered":"

Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy<\/a>, and give us feedback<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note:\u00a0To help readers learn more about primary candidates, The Texas Tribune is sharing background information on top candidates. In particularly crowded races, we focused on candidates who have political experience or prominence.\u00a0For a full list of the candidates running in this race view our primary\u00a0ballot page<\/a>. For more information on the primaries and the voting process, check out our voter guide\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

About the elected seat: The lieutenant governor, Texas\u2019 second-highest state executive, presides over the state Senate and, in that role, largely controls the flow of legislation in the chamber. Because of this, the office is often described as the most powerful in Texas government. The Senate\u2019s rules put the lieutenant governor in charge of the chamber\u2019s agenda and standing committees, along with the power to break ties and decide procedural questions. Taken together, this gives the office significant influence over which bills make it to the governor\u2019s desk and how much clout each senator wields. Additionally, the lieutenant governor co-chairs the Legislative Budget Board, which develops the state budget, and sits on the Legislative Redistricting Board, which is in charge of redrawing political maps if the Legislature fails to do so.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s at stake: Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick<\/a>, a close ally of President Donald Trump who chaired all three of his presidential campaigns in Texas, is seeking a fourth term. As lieutenant governor, Patrick has spent the last decade pushing the Legislature steadily to the right. Patrick\u2019s ouster would create a vacuum in Texas Republican politics and within the Senate, where he has built a stable of reliable GOP allies who often march in lockstep with their presiding officer. Although the lieutenant governor is currently one of the most powerful offices in the state, much of that authority is bestowed by the Senate rules approved by the chamber each regular session. If a Democrat is elected in November, the Republican-led Senate would likely rewrite its rules to strip the office of its major powers, marking a significant shift in the dynamics of the Legislature.<\/p>\n

Candidates at a glance:<\/p>\n

\"\"Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Texas<\/p>\n

Dan Patrick<\/p>\n

Republican, incumbent<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcb0 Campaign finance:<\/p>\n

$37.7 million cash on hand<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcb0 Major donors this cycle:<\/p>\n

West Texas oil billionaire Tim Dunn\u2019s Texans United for A Conservative Majority PAC \u2013 $350,000 <\/p>\n

Real estate developer and businessman Ross Perot Jr., board chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce \u2013 $250,000 <\/p>\n

Attorney James Perkins \u2013 $250,000 <\/p>\n

Businessman Drayton McLane Jr. \u2013 $250,000<\/p>\n

Investment analyst Kenneth Fisher \u2013 $250,000<\/p>\n

Experience:<\/p>\n

Republican lieutenant governor first elected in 2014, defeating then-incumbent David Dewhurst in the GOP primary<\/p>\n

State senator from 2007 to 2015<\/p>\n

Former conservative talk radio host, sports bar owner and sportscaster for KHOU in Houston<\/p>\n

Political ideology:<\/p>\n

Leading conservative voice in state government, promoting policies to infuse religion into public life and restricting abortion and immigration<\/p>\n

Describes himself as a Christian first and has referred to the United States as a \u201cChristian nation\u201d<\/p>\n

Social and fiscal conservative who has prioritized a mix of economic measures, such as limiting the growth of property taxes and shoring up the state\u2019s electric grid, along with conservative \u201cred meat\u201d issues targeting LGBTQ+ Texans and restricting how race and gender can be discussed in classrooms<\/p>\n

Spearheaded creation of the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program and the Dementia Prevention Research Institute of Texas, receiving blowback from some conservatives<\/p>\n

As a state senator, founded the Legislature\u2019s now-defunct Tea Party Caucus in 2010<\/p>\n

Policy stances:<\/p>\n

Cut property taxes by increasing the school homestead exemption and lowering the age for the senior homestead exemption; against full elimination of property taxes<\/p>\n

Expand \u201cschool choice\u201d through school vouchers that let families use taxpayer money to pay for their children\u2019s private school tuition and other educational expenses<\/p>\n

Prevent illegal immigration<\/p>\n

Ban the sale of THC products<\/p>\n

Preserve Texas\u2019 abortion ban<\/p>\n

In the news:<\/p>\n

Endorsements:<\/p>\n

President Donald Trump<\/p>\n

Gov. Greg Abbott<\/a><\/p>\n

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC<\/p>\n

Texas Oil and Gas Association PAC<\/p>\n

Texas Farm Bureau\u2019s AgFund<\/p>\n

Texas Right to Life PAC<\/p>\n

Several leading law enforcement PACs<\/p>\n

How to contact or learn more:<\/p>\n

info@danpatrick.org<\/a>
P.O. Box 685085
Austin, Texas 78768<\/p>\n

\"\"Campaign photo<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcb0 Campaign finance:<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcb0 Major donors this cycle:<\/p>\n

Anne Hilbert \u2013 $5,051.83 <\/p>\n

Karen Conyngham \u2013 $4,183.22 <\/p>\n

Coleen Reatha Beck \u2013 $3,500<\/p>\n

Experience:<\/p>\n

Democratic state representative first elected in 2018, defeating then-incumbent state Rep. Paul Workman, a Republican from Spicewood<\/p>\n

Represents southwest Austin and Travis County<\/p>\n

Authored Cati\u2019s Act in 2023, creating drowning prevention requirements for child care organizations, including camps<\/p>\n

Sponsored the Natalia Cox Act in 2023, providing notice for victims of domestic violence<\/p>\n

Political ideology:<\/p>\n

Consistently<\/a> ranked<\/a> as one of the most liberal Texas House members by Rice University political science professor Mark Jones<\/p>\n

Whip (i.e. vote wrangler) of the Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus<\/p>\n

Policy stances:<\/p>\n

Increase public school funding and teacher pay<\/p>\n

Invest in water infrastructure and water recycling<\/p>\n

Pass the Fair Rent Incentive Act to incentivize lower rent<\/p>\n

Repeal the state\u2019s abortion ban<\/p>\n

Expand Medicaid<\/p>\n

In the news:<\/p>\n

Endorsements:<\/p>\n

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett<\/a>, D-Austin<\/p>\n

30+ Democratic state representatives<\/p>\n

Austin City Council members Ryan Alter, Marc Duchen, Vanessa Fuentes, Natasha Harper-Madison, Krista Laine, Zo Qadri and Chito Vela<\/p>\n

How to contact or learn more:<\/p>\n

AskMe@VikkiGoodwin.com<\/a>
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160-315
Austin, TX
78748<\/p>\n

\"\"Campaign photo<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcb0 Campaign finance:<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcb0 Major donors this cycle:<\/p>\n

Houstonians for Working Families \u2013 $58,900, including in-kind donation to pay for campaign launch video <\/p>\n

United Steel Workers \u2013 $20,000.00<\/p>\n

Experience:<\/p>\n

Labor leader<\/p>\n

Assistant director of United Steelworkers District 13<\/p>\n

Former oilworker<\/p>\n

Received the USW\u2019s Jefferson Award<\/a> in 2018<\/p>\n

Political ideology:<\/p>\n

Pro-labor<\/p>\n

Pro-working families<\/p>\n

Opposes \u201ccorporate greed\u201d<\/p>\n

Policy stances:<\/p>\n

Provide more property tax relief<\/p>\n

Increase the minimum wage<\/p>\n

Increase public school funding and teacher pay<\/p>\n

Protect rural water and farmland<\/p>\n

Support working families over corporate political donors<\/p>\n

Increase affordability for seniors<\/p>\n

Endorsements: <\/p>\n

Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus<\/p>\n

Houston Progressive Caucus<\/p>\n

How to contact or learn more:<\/p>\n

info@velezfortexas.com<\/p>\n

Disclosure: Rice University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune\u2019s journalism. Find a complete\u00a0list of them here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":133500,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[56510,2671,1864,288,287,27,29,28],"class_list":{"0":"post-133499","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-texas","8":"tag-2026-primary-explainer","9":"tag-congress","10":"tag-dan-patrick","11":"tag-elections","12":"tag-politics","13":"tag-texas","14":"tag-texas-headlines","15":"tag-texas-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133499"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133499\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}