Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announces plans to run for 2026 reelection

HOUSTON, Texas – Texas Lieutenant Governor and Republican Dan Patrick announced his campaign for his 2026 re-election on Friday.

“This Legislative Session we have already passed the most conservative agenda in Texas history – including school choice, property tax relief, investing in our water infrastructure, our electric grid, banning non-citizens from voting, and returning prayer and the Ten Commandments to our public schools," Patrick said, in part.

In a post on X, formally known as Twitter, Thursday afternoon, Trump announced his endorsement for the Lt. Governor’s re-election.

Before being elected lieutenant governor, Patrick served in the Texas State Senate from 2007 to 2015. Patrick founded the chamber’s Tea Party caucus in 2010 and served as the caucus’ first chairman. He also served as chairman of the Texas State Senate Education Committee from 2013 to 2015.

Patrick is the 42nd lieutenant governor of Texas and serves under Governor Greg Abbott (R). He was first elected in 2014, defeating then-incumbent Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst (R) in the primary with 65% of the vote to Dewhurst’s 35%. As lieutenant governor, Patrick also serves as the president of the Texas State Senate.

Patrick criticized the 2023 impeachment proceedings against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), saying, “The Speaker and his team rammed through the first impeachment of a statewide-elected official in Texas in over 100 years while paying no attention to the precedent. [...] An impeachment should never happen again in the House like it happened this year.”

Patrick’s campaign website says he “is a leader in the fight to protect liberty, lower property and business taxes, create jobs and grow our economy, strengthen our grid by adding additional reliable thermal power, provide a high-quality education for all, secure our border, support law enforcement, and to protect life, religious freedom, and the Second Amendment.”