Vikki Goodwin wins Texas lieutenant governor race with 52 percent of vote

Democratic State Rep. Vikki Goodwin defeated Republican incumbent Dan Patrick in the race for Texas lieutenant governor. Initial precinct counts indicate Goodwin received 52 percent of the vote. Patrick received 46 percent. The Associated Press called the race for Goodwin.

Goodwin will assume the role of the state’s second highest-ranking official. She will hold significant influence over state legislation and the budget for the next four years. Patrick served in the position for 12 years before this election.

During his campaign, Patrick described himself on his website as a preeminent voice for principled conservative policies in Texas and across the nation. He was a close ally of President Donald Trump.

Goodwin focused her campaign on public education, clean water, energy, affordable housing, comprehensive healthcare, and THC regulation. These issues formed the core of her platform against the incumbent.

The campaign included a legal dispute over advertising. In September, Goodwin filed a criminal complaint against Patrick regarding two artificial intelligence attack ads. She claimed the ads violated state law on deepfake videos. The ads featured AI-generated images of Goodwin wearing a shirt that read taxes instead of Texas at a University of Texas football game.

Patrick later removed the ads from social media. A spokesperson for Patrick said the ads were obvious parody produced to entertain. Results are preliminary until certified by the Texas Secretary of State's Office.