State of Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick recently visited Erath County sharing views on a 131 city bus tour.
Patrick, who has been Lt. Governor since 2014 and is seeking re-election in November against Democrat Mike Collier, started a state-wide bus tour Wednesday, Aug. 24 in San Antonio at the Alamo.
He came into Stephenville Wednesday, Aug. 31 visiting after a meeting of the Erath County Republican Party.
“We have outlined an ambitious schedule. We plan to make 131 stops across Texas. We’ve scheduled tours through North Texas, the Rio Grande Valley, East Texas, West Texas, Central Texas, and the Coastal Bend,” Patrick said. “It’s about eight stops a day and we are spending $1,000 a day in gas.”
Patrick also brought along Senator Brian D. Birdwell (RGranbury), who is a survivor of the attacks on the Pentagon on 9/11.
Patrick spoke briefly to the crowd after meeting and greeting with many people and taking photos with them.
The lieutenant governor spoke about the importance of rural voters casting ballots in November.
“Rural Texas represents the values of Texas and rural America represents the values of America,” he said. “Rural Texas is going to have to save our democracy.”
Patrick praised the attendance of students at the event from Tarleton State University.
“This is the highest number of young people I’ve ever seen at a single event,” Patrick said.
Patrick discussed how Texas elections are broken down according to votes. Fifty percent of the vote will be out of the top six most populated counties - Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Travis and Collin. The remaining 248 counties, many of which hold rural values he said, will make up the remaining 48-50% of the vote.
“We need to win our races by 70%, not by small margins,” he said. “You can’t win the White House without winning at least Texas, California or New York.”
The bus tour will keep traveling throughout Texas all the way to the Nov. 8 election.
“What’s at stake? A country more divided than I’ve ever seen,” he said.
Patrick spoke about living through the 70s with protests, Watergate and the controversy surrounding the era.
“We, as a people, were more together. Our future will be determined by who shows up to vote,” he said.
Patrick also addressed border issues and the governor’s plan to bus migrants to the East Coast to cities like New York, Washington D.C. and now, Chicago.
The program to send migrants to the other cities is part of Abbott’s multibilliondollar effort to curb border crossings.
“The mayor of D.C. received buses with migrants and calls the National Guard,” he said.
Patrick said that there was a humanitarian crisis at the border and cited the president and the rest of the Democrats as simply not caring.
“I’m the Lt. Governor of everyone,” he said.
Patrick also shared information about his faith stating that current conditions were a battle of darkness and light.
“In my early 40s I gave my life to Christ,” he said. Patrick said he was so concerned and overwhelmed with anxiety until he turned his life over to God.
“God doesn’t make mistakes and I was at peace,” he said. Patrick shared several Bible verses including Proverbs 21:31 and 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Patrick cited a recent Gallup poll that has seen significant drops in Democrats and young people not believing in God. For Democrats, belief in God fell from 84% in 2013-17 to 72% in 2022 and in 18-29 year olds it fell from 78% in 2013-17 to 68% in 2022.
Patrick closed urging everyone to vote in the November elections and sharing advice with college students in attendance. “Do something you love, don’t worry about the money,” he said. “This has been the lowest paying job I’ve ever had and the most rewarding.”