After months of pre-gaming, Democrat Mike Collier officially announced his campaign to challenge Dan Patrick for the lieutenant governorship. Collier, who first floated the idea of a run back in early March, made his formal declaration at a rally in Round Rock on Sat., June 17. The former Texas Democratic Party finance chair previously ran an unsuccessful campaign for state comptroller in 2014, and this time aims straight at Patrick’s divisive politics and policies, such as his fanatical devotion to the discriminatory bathroom bill.
Explaining why he started his run three months before filing opens for the 2018 primary, Collier said, “I am announcing my plans early because so much is at stake in Texas. Our public schools need help; our teachers and retired teachers are fearful; our property tax system isn’t fair; our state is taking on debt; Texas is losing its top position in terms of employment; and our rural communities are all but forgotten. With these and other real issues needing attention, Dan Patrick instead panders to his shrinking base with policies that are bad for Texas.”
It’s On: Collier vs. Patrick
A version of this article appeared in print on Jun 23, 2017 with the headline: It’s On: Collier vs. Patrick
This article appears in June 23 • 2017.
