Texas Lt. Gov. Expects Republican Turnout to Surge
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (R) believes that early voting among Republicans will significantly impact the upcoming midterm elections, suggesting that his party may soon overtake the Democrats in voter turnout.
Speaking with CBS News Texas, Patrick, who is running against state Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D), mentioned, “The Democrats currently have the edge, but there are roughly 600,000 high-propensity Republican voters who haven’t cast their votes yet.”
He urged Republicans to take action, saying, “One of my key messages to them is to get off the bench and go vote. I think we’ll likely catch up and surpass the Democrats by early to mid next week. By the end of early voting, we should have a comfortable lead.”
Patrick then highlighted the stakes of the midterm elections:
The message to undecided voters, and even some Democrats, is that today’s Democratic Party is not the same as it was, say, a decade or two ago. We’re not just facing a minor shift if someone from the other side wins. We still uphold values like faith, family, and a belief in America and Texas. We advocate for low taxes, support for businesses, job creation, and maintaining a secure border. We want to support the police rather than defund them, and we believe in keeping criminals incarcerated, not out on bail as we’ve seen in many of our major cities. The difference really lies in the policies.
Recent analysis from the Associated Press indicates that early voting this year has seen notable increases compared to the last midterm elections, especially in states pivotal for controlling the U.S. Senate.
“In Texas, early voting has jumped 74% compared to 2022. Kansas has doubled its early voting numbers. Additionally, Maine, North Carolina, and Ohio have all experienced over a 30% rise in early in-person and mail-in voting compared to this time last year,” the report stated.
In a video shared over the weekend, Patrick urged rural Republican voters in Texas to participate early to help maintain the GOP’s stronghold in the state.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has also expressed confidence in Republican candidates during the midterm elections, despite polls indicating a Democratic advantage, as reported by Breitbart News on October 13.
“I’m here in Texas today for a series of events, and I think I have something like eight states on my agenda this week. I’ve been engaged in this for nearly two years, and I’m convinced the polls are off,” he explained. “I’ve been in swing districts, and I’m noticing a lot of enthusiasm in the crowds. It feels like 2024 to me. That energy isn’t showing in the polls, but we’re really motivated.”
