Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
Recommended Videos
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced on Wednesday the creation of a new political action committee dedicated to advancing the goals of the conservative majority in the Texas Senate.
The new PAC will be called the Texas Senate Leadership Fund. No money has been received yet, said Allen Blakemore, a spokesperson for Patrick.
“There are other PACs where donors may support the work done by various House and Senate Caucuses and even to support the mission of House Leadership,” Patrick said in a news release. “But, until now, there hasn’t been a place to support the work on the Texas Senate Leadership in fulfilling its goals. In order to ensure the resources to support the mission of the conservative majority in the Texas Senate, I have launched this new political action committee.”
Patrick said in his statement that the Senate has led on issues like border security, property taxes, Second Amendment rights and voter integrity. He said the chamber has also led on education, health and infrastructure.
Patrick presides over the Senate and has steered the chamber in a more conservative direction than previous lieutenant governors. He has pushed major reforms to the chamber’s procedures that have enabled conservatives to more strongly advocate for their policy preferences.
In recent years, Patrick has increasingly been at odds with House Speaker Dade Phelan, a fellow Republican from Beaumont, who he criticizes as being insufficiently conservative and blocking legislation that Patrick says is important to Texas conservatives, such as school voucher bills.
Time is running out to get your TribFest tickets!
Be there Sept. 5–7 for 100-plus unforgettable conversations featuring more than 300 speakers, including Stacey Abrams, Colin Allred, Liz Cheney, Richard Linklater, Nancy Pelosi, Rick Perry, Gretchen Whitmer and Glenn Youngkin.
Hurry - buy your tickets today!