Patrick supports curbing power of office he lost to Democrat Vikki Goodwin
Graphic: Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, superimposed over Texas State Capitol building. FOX Local, 2026
AUSTIN, Texas - Another Texas lawmaker is calling for restrictions on a statewide government office after Republicans took staggering losses across the board on election night.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Monday morning joined the "Mark Davis Show" to talk about the Nov. 3 elections where Democrats won every statewide office on the ballot, elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate and flipped control of the Texas House of Representatives.
Patrick supports limiting power of lieutenant governor's office
Patrick argued on Monday that the Texas Senate should changes the rules and take legislative power from incoming Democratic Lt. Gov. Vikki Goodwin. The Senate remained a Republican majority, 19-12, after the Nov. 3 election.
What they're saying:
"I think the Senate should do that," Patrick said.
Goodwin defeated Patrick to become the first Democratic lieutenant governor of Texas since 1999. Patrick has served in the position since January 2015.
The office is generally regarded as one of the most powerful in the Texas government. Serving as president of the Texas Senate, the lieutenant governor has traditionally held considerable influence over what legislation is brought to the Senate floor and who sits on committees.
"Vikki Goodwin won, but she doesn't have the majority of votes on the floor," Patrick said. "So I believe, and I support the Republicans standing up for their voters."
Patrick said he would support the chamber protecting its majority.
"We lost the election. We didn't lose Texas in terms of values and culture and economic issues," Patrick said.
Texas Lt. Governor-elect Vikki Goodwin announces transition leadership team
Lt. Governor-elect Vikki Goodwin is holding a news conference to announce her transition leadership team and speak to her vision of leadership in the Texas Senate.
Republicans could find it difficult to hold every state office moving forward
What's next:
The Nov. 3 elections marked the first time a Democrat has won a statewide election in Texas since 1994, and Patrick said it would be harder for one party to hold every office moving forward.
"I can see that it's going to be tougher and tougher and tougher for Republicans to continue to hold all the statewide offices," Patrick said.
State Rep. Brian Harrison says to limit governor's emergency powers before January
Patrick isn't the first Republican to call for a limiting of powers to a statewide office.
Last week, state Rep. Brian Harrison said Gov. Greg Abbott should call a special session to limit the powers that the governor can wield.
Harrison previously authored a bill in 2022 seeking to limit the office's power, but it did not move forward.
The Source: Information in this article comes from an interview with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on the Nov. 9 episode of the "Mark Davis Show." Information on state Rep. Brian Harrison's call to limit the governor's power from previous Fox Local reporting. Election information comes from the Texas Secretary of State's Office.