Dan Patrick Urges Texas Senate to Strip Successor's Powers

Outgoing Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is urging the Texas Senate to change its legislative rules to strip powers from his Democratic successor, Vikki Goodwin. Patrick lost the November 3 reelection bid by approximately 599,000 votes in an election where Democrats won every statewide office and flipped the Texas House of Representatives.

Patrick argued that the Republican-led Senate, which maintains a 19-12 majority, should use a simple majority vote to shift the lieutenant governor's influence over committee appointments, budget negotiations, and floor debates to a Republican-chosen majority leader. While Patrick acknowledged the election was "fair and square," he suggested that the Senate should protect its majority by limiting the authority of the office he previously held.

In response, Goodwin has expressed a desire for a collaborative legislative body. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans have held closed-door meetings to discuss the proposal. Patrick stated that his career as a candidate is over, though he plans to remain politically active through a new venture called Patrick Strategies to advance conservative legislation.

Separately, State Representative Brian Harrison has urged Governor Greg Abbott to call a special session to limit the governor's own emergency powers, following a failed 2022 attempt to pass similar legislation.