Dems have their first official statewide candidate.
Rep. Vikki Goodwin
State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, has filed paperwork to run for lieutenant governor in next year’s midterm election, giving up a safe seat in the Texas House to seek one of the state’s most powerful offices.
Goodwin has long been expected to run for the seat, currently held by Republican Dan Patrick, who has said he will seek reelection next year. The four-term Austin Democrat told the Tribune in 2023 she was mulling a run, and since then she has openly signaled her plans to allies.
She appointed a campaign treasurer for her lieutenant governor bid on Monday, the first formal step for a candidate to start raising money.
Unseating Patrick will be a daunting task for any Democrat. The lieutenant governor is sitting on a war chest of more than $33 million, and he has many deep-pocketed conservative allies ready to ride to the rescue if he finds himself endangered.
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Goodwin will have to make up significant ground financially, with just over $150,000 in her campaign account as of Dec. 31, the last date covered by public campaign finance reports.
Goodwin, a 58-year-old real estate agent, has served in the Texas House since 2019, representing a district that covers parts of west and north Austin and the western side of Travis County, including parts of Bee Cave and Lakeway. She is seen as one of the more liberal members of the state House and currently serves on the chamber’s Appropriations and Insurance committees.
Honestly, I think it’s a good sign to have someone announce their entry this early. It can only help from a fundraising perspective, and I’ll be looking at her July report with some interest. My hope is that Rep. Goodwin will soon be followed by others – there are plenty of people circling around the Senate race, and it wouldn’t surprise me if one or more of them move over to, say, Governor or AG. Again, getting organized, getting some news coverage, and getting the fundraising machine going are all better done sooner rather than later. I look forward to seeing Rep. Goodwin when she visits Houston.