Patrick has been lieutenant governor of Texas for over 10 years.
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has officially announced his bid for re-election in 2026, marking another step in his decade-long tenure as one of the state’s most prominent conservative leaders.
Patrick, who is 75, first announced his intentions to run for re-election at a conference in Austin in January 2023, despiteThe Texas Tribune previously reporting that Patrick said in 2020 that his 2022 campaign would be his last.
“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 his re-election campaign announcement on April 11.
With the legislative session now beyond its halfway point, Patrick stated that he wanted to make his intentions clear before formally kicking off his campaign later this year.
If Patrick wins re-election in 2026, it would make him the second-longest serving lieutenant governor in Texas history, after Bill Hobby, who held the office for 18 years.
Patrick also shared in his announcement that President Donald Trump has endorsed his re-election campaign, calling the endorsement an honor.
“I am pleased and honored my very first re-election endorsement came from my friend and ally President Donald J. Trump,” Patrick said.
Despite announcing his campaign plans, Patrick stressed that his focus remains on completing the legislative session’s work.
“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.
Patrick has served as lieutenant governor since 2015 and has been a key figure in shaping Texas’s conservative policies during his tenure.
