State Senator Dan Patrick, R-Houston, on Election Day
Dan Patrick giving his victory speech on election night.
Houston Republican state Senator Dan Patrick cruised to victory for lieutenant governor.
Patrick easily defeated his Democratic challenger, San Antonio state Senator Leticia Van de Putte. He told an enthusiastic crowd at a West Houston conference center that he wants to keep Texas safe andsecure.
"We also have a responsibility of law and order to protect every Texan, from the Rio Grande to El Paso to the Panhandle to the Piney Woods and every city. To keep the criminal element and potential terrorists out, and Greg Abbott and I are gonna do that," said Patrick.
He says the current immigration policy benefits no one.
"We need legal immigration reform from Washington. They failed us. Until we have legal immigration reform, where people can come to America in dignity and not live in the shadow — and not have to come to America, swing across the river, in the back of an 18-wheeler, or dying in the desert — we have a de-facto immigration policy that is not good for anyone, in this country, or anyone who wants to come here," said Patrick.
As head of the senate, Patrick says he wants to be a lieutenant governor that empowers bright and capable people.
"And to help craft a solution, to address all these issues that we have ahead of us. I believe that Texas is America's last hope. That's why a thousand people a day are moving here. This is where you come to dream, where you come for a job. This is where you come to raise your family, and we're gonna make Texas even greater," said Patrick.
Patrick also advocates reducing the state's dependence on property taxes to fund public schools. He's calling instead for relying more on the state's sales tax to fund education.
Tweets by @HPMNews887