Dan Patrick
Branch: Statewide District: Lt. Governor
Additional Information from ATPE
First elected to statewide office in 2014. Current term as lieutenant governor expires January 2027. Running for re-election in the 2026 Republican primary.
Patrick defeated former incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (R) in the 2014 election to become Lieutenant Governor. He previously served in the Texas Senate, District 7, from 2008-2014, where he chaired the Senate Education Committee.
Endorsed in the 2022 primary election by the Texas Home School Coalition PAC, which supports using public funds for private and home-schools, giving private and home-schooled students greater access to public education services, and limiting state oversight of private and home schools. He also received the group's endorsement in 2018 and 2014.
Endorsed by the editorial board of the Dallas Morning News in the 2022 Republican primary election. The newspaper endorsed Patrick's opponent, Mike Collier, in the 2022 general election, however.
Endorsed by the editorial board of the Houston Chronicle in the 2022 Republican primary election. The newspaper endorsed Patrick's opponent, Mike Collier, in the 2022 general election, however.
Endorsed by the editorial board of the Austin American-Statesman in the 2022 Republican primary election. The newspaper endorsed Patrick's opponent, Mike Collier, in the 2022 general election, however.
The editorial board of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram endorsed Patrick's opponent, Mike Collier, in the 2022 general election.
Endorsed in the 2018 primary election by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (Empower Texans), a group that has supported budget cuts and limiting state spending on public education, reducing educators' rights and benefits, and funding private school vouchers. He also received the group's endorsement in 2014.
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- 03/22/2022 - Patrick merges Senate’s K-12 and higher education committees, appoints Creighton as chair
- 02/28/2022 - Wealthy donors seek to shape state policy on vouchers, charter schools, and curriculum with big spending in the 2022 Texas primaries
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- 10/29/2018 - Guest Post: Dan Patrick is lying about teacher raises
- 10/24/2018 - From The Texas Tribune: In his long-shot bid to unseat Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Mike Collier is counting on teachers
- 08/20/2018 - Return to sender: Letters to TRS are political farce
- 07/26/2018 - From The Texas Tribune: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has "no plans" to debate Democratic opponent Mike Collier
- 02/20/2018 - Guest Post: Following the money in Texas politics
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- 12/02/2016 - Latest preview of the 85th Texas Legislature Express
- 09/16/2016 - Teach the Vote's Week in Review: Sept. 16, 2016
- 10/31/2014 - Journalists again dispute Dan Patrick's education claims, turn to ATPE for facts
- 09/22/2014 - Fact-checking group disputes Dan Patrick's claim about education funding, cites ATPE
- 06/17/2014 - Attorney General Abbott issues new opinion regarding Common Core
- 08/28/2013 - Watch the Ratliff-Patrick CSCOPE debate
Voting Records:
(Historical) LEGISLATIVE HISTORY WHILE SERVING AS A TEXAS STATE SENATOR:
Voted against a 2013 budget bill providing increased funding for public education and a partial restoration of the education budget cuts made in 2011. (Senate Bill 1 by Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. A conference committee was appointed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of this primary budget bill. On a motion by Sen. Williams, the Senate voted to adopt the conference committee report May 25, 2013.)
Voted against a 2013 measure that would have moved $200 million out of the transportation budget and into the public education budget instead. (Senate Joint Resolution 1 by Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. The bill supplemented the primary budget legislation by calling for the expenditure of some "Rainy Day" funds for state projects, including water infrastructure and economic development. Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) offered floor amendment #5 as an attempt to add funds to the public education budget. The Senate failed to adopt the Watson amendment April 23, 2013.)
Voted against two measures in 2013 that would have increased public education formula funding by taking money out of a controversial merit pay program. (Senate Joint Resolution 1 by Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. The bill supplemented the primary budget legislation by calling for the expenditure of some "Rainy Day" funds for state projects, including water infrastructure and economic development. Sens. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) and Wendy Davis (D-Ft. Worth) both offered floor amendments (#2 and #3, respectively) in an attempt to increase public education formula funding. The Senate rejected both amendments with identical record votes on April 23, 2013.)
Voted for a 2013 bill to shore up the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and provide most retirees with a benefit increase. (Senate Bill 1458 by Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. The Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading May 8, 2013.)
Voted for a 2013 teacher quality bill to raise the standards for entering the education profession; require school districts to provide appraisal results to teachers in a timely manner and consider multiple years' appraisal results in making personnel decisions; and require the state to conduct a survey of teacher working conditions and salaries. (House Bill 2012 by Rep. Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. A conference committee was appointed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of this bill. Patrick authored the motion by which the Senate voted to adopt the conference committee report May 26, 2013.)
Voted against a 2013 bill to create the Texas Teacher Residency Program, a high-quality university program through which new teachers would receive stipends and employment at a school district or charter school while earning a master's degree. (House Bill 1752 by Rep. Diane Patrick (R-Arlington), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. On a motion by Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin), the Senate voted to approve its version of the bill on third reading May 17, 2013. The House later accepted the Senate version of the bill, enabling the bill to be finally passed.)
Voted for a 2013 bill that would have reduced time spent on standardized testing in grades 3-8; required validation of the tests and better monitoring of state contracts with test vendors; and called for a state study of the high number of curriculum standards (TEKS). (House Bill 2836 by Rep. Bennett Ratliff (R-Coppell), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. Patrick also authored the motion by which the Senate unanimously voted to approve the testing and curriculum-related bill on third reading May 22, 2013. The House also approved the bill, but it was later vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry.)
Voted against a 2013 bill to reduce the amount of standardized testing in grades 3-8 by allowing certain students with high STAAR scores to skip the exams in some years. (House Bill 866 by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. On a motion by Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo), the Senate voted to approve the bill on third reading May 21, 2013.)
Voted for a 2013 bill to require schools to notify the public if a full-time school counselor is not assigned to the campus. (Senate Bill 401 by Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-Brownsville), 83rd Legislature, Regular Session. A conference committee was appointed to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of this bill requiring public notice when a full-time school counselor is not assigned to a public school campus. On a motion by Sen. Lucio, the Senate voted to adopt the conference committee report May 26, 2013. However, the bill later died when a similar motion to adopt the conference committee report failed in the House.)
Additional legislative actions:
- Filed several bills to expand and increase funding to charter schools.
- Supported private school voucher legislation and filed bills that would require the University Interscholastic League (UIL) toopen its membership to private schools not required to meet the same accountability requirements as public schools.
- Filed legislation to eliminate the 22:1 class-size limit as a hard cap in grades K-4 and replace it with a campus-wide average.
- Filed "mandate relief" legislation to reduce educators' minimum salaries, rights and benefits.
- Authored a proposed constitutional amendment to limit budget appropriations and use any future budget surpluses for property tax relief and increasing the value of the Rainy Day Fund, making those funds unavailable for public education.
- Authored a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing the Legislature to exempt all or part of the appraised value of a residence from school property taxes.
- Authored a bill requiring investigations and employment actions against educators convicted of certain felonies or suspected of engaging in a romantic relationship with a student.
- Sponsored a bill to prevent eighth-grade students enrolled in algebra for high school credit from having to take both an eighth-grade STAAR math test and an algebra end-of-course exam.
- Filed legislation that would have required school districts to provide assault leave to certified educators in cases where there had been a juvenile or criminal assault conviction of the assailant.
- Filed legislation to encourage teachers to become certified in shortage area subjects.
Survey Responses
HAS NOT RESPONDED TO THE 2026 ATPE CANDIDATE SURVEY.
Did not respond to the 2022, 2018, or 2014 ATPE Candidate Survey.
Patrick also declined an opportunity to speak at the 2014 ATPE Summit alongside other candidates for statewide office.
Dan Patrick
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Party:
Republican
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Branch:
Statewide
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District:
Lt. Governor
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Address:
1 E GREENWAY PLZ, STE 225
City:HOUSTON
State:TX
- Website:
- Social: