Lt. Gov. Patrick leaps to support Trump. He should focus on Texas and governing instead | Opinion
A day before he stood beside Gov. Greg Abbott and swore an oath to Texas for the next four years, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick tweeted his political obedience and full endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
With the Legislature getting its session under way, thinking ahead a year or more to presidential politics seems like a distraction, unless your goal is to appear adoring to the 45th president. Otherwise, the timing and tone seem way off.
This full-throated endorsement is out of line with the rest of Patrick’s party — a new poll shows Texas Republicans prefer Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to Trump for the 2024 presidential run. It’s also disconnected from what seems politically astute and definitely way out of line when it comes to what’s the next, right step for the GOP nomination.
Trump accomplished a few good things while in office, but when he lost the 2020 election, that’s when things went off the rails, as we’ve detailed in these pages several times. Trump refused to participate in the peaceful transfer of power, refused to reprimand rioters acting in his name and, some would argue, encouraged radical right-wing factions to storm the Capitol in a bizarre attempt to overtake it, or at least, create chaos.
Since then, Trump has refused to concede the 2020 election, and for the last two years, has communicated lengthy rants from his PAC website and Truth Social platform. His diatribes made a 12-year-old boy sound articulate and mature, and many now appear to be deleted.
He’s the GOP front-runner and only major declared candidate running so far, with more than $50 million on hand for 2024.
But Trump destroyed any chance of common-sense Republicans supporting another run when he refused to step down without a fight. After many of his hand-picked candidates lost winnable races in last year’s midterm elections, his grip on the GOP base might be loosening, too.
Patrick has been a Trump stalwart ever since Trump beat Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the 2016 GOP primaries.
It’s possible, with the legislative session starting, Patrick could be signaling to the Senate that he expects Republican senators to adhere to a Trumpian agenda. But there is no political reason for Patrick to jump to Trump’s side yet. The Legislature has too much on its plate, from property taxes to improving education and firming up the power grid, to concern itself with what Trump is doing or what Patrick thinks of Trump.
There will be time for Republicans to hash out their nomination, and it’s disappointing to see such blind loyalty from Patrick so early in the process. Republicans have several good potential candidates and plenty of time to decide.
Voters put their trust in Patrick to deliver in this legislative session. That should be his focus.
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This story was originally published January 19, 2023 at 9:39 AM.