AUSTIN — After getting a much-coveted endorsement Thursday from President Donald Trump, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced his reelection bid for 2026.
Patrick leads the Texas Senate, making him the most powerful lawmaker in the Capitol. A fourth term would allow the Houston Republican to continue dictating the legislative agenda through 2030.
“The campaign will begin soon enough, but with seven weeks still to go in the Legislative Session, my focus remains on the work to be done at the Capitol for the people of Texas,” Patrick said in a statement.
Patrick has steered the Senate rightward, working to unseat those he deemed insufficiently conservative or disloyal to his agenda, which has included increasing homestead exemptions, dismantling university DEI programs and adding voter ID requirements.
Redistricting pushed the conservative chamber further to the right. After flipping a Democratic seat in 2024, Republicans now enjoy a 20-to-11 advantage.
Patrick had been saying since 2023 that he would seek a fourth term, though speculation around the Capitol was that the former sports radio host would retire.
In his announcement, Patrick touted the early legislative victories in the Senate, which has already passed several red-meat GOP bills, including protections for prayer in schools, requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in every classroom and proof of citizenship requirements for registering to vote.
Patrick handily won reelection in 2022 after beating Democrat Mike Collier by 10 percentage points.
Trump kick-started Patrick’s reelection campaign Thursday afternoon when he announced his endorsement on social media among a slate of other candidate endorsements. A Trump endorsement is no surprise – Patrick chaired Trump’s Texas campaign in 2016 and 2020 – but arrives during a legislative session when Patrick is prohibited from raising any campaign cash.
“In his next Term, Dan will fight tirelessly alongside of us to Secure the Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Champion School Choice, Support our Great Military/Vets, Restore American Energy DOMINANCE, and Strongly Protect our always under siege Second Amendment,” Trump posted on social media.
“Dan Patrick has my Complete and Total Endorsement – He will never let you down!”
