Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday framed the nation’s political climate as a moral struggle and urged Republicans to unify ahead of upcoming elections, speaking to supporters in Corpus Christi before President Donald Trump was scheduled to appear.
Patrick credited Trump with reshaping the federal judiciary after the 2016 election and repeated Trump’s longstanding claims about the 2020 race, telling the crowd the president was stepping up “again to win for the third time,” echoing Trump’s assertion that he was the rightful winner that year. Courts, audits and election officials across multiple states found no evidence of widespread fraud that would have changed the outcome of the 2020 election, which Democrat Joe Biden won.
“Where we are in America today, make no mistake, is a battle of darkness and light,” Patrick said, warning that Democrats posed what he described as a threat to national institutions and the courts.
The Republican lieutenant governor also focused on Texas’ political future, arguing that a Democratic victory in the state would significantly alter national elections because of its large number of Electoral College votes.
“Understand that if Texas falls and turns blue, you never elect a Republican to the White House again,” Patrick said.
Patrick called on Republican candidates and voters to unite after primary contests conclude, emphasizing party cohesion as essential to maintaining GOP control statewide.
“There are a lot of people on the ballot. They’re all good people,” he said. “But come Tuesday night … they need to come together as one Republican Party and support whoever the winner is.”
Throughout his remarks, Patrick invoked religion and Texas history, telling supporters that “God is looking down on Texas” and referencing figures from the state’s fight for independence, including James Bowie, William B. Travis and Davy Crockett.
He also highlighted Corpus Christi’s role in the energy sector, describing the port as a leading hub for U.S. oil exports.
Trump’s visit comes as Texas Republicans prepare for upcoming primaries and seek to maintain dominance in statewide offices in a state that has remained reliably Republican for decades, though Democrats have made gains in some urban and suburban areas in recent election cycles.
Patrick closed by praising Trump’s visits to Texas, drawing cheers from the crowd as he said Texans were eager to welcome the president back to the state.
