Democratic Candidate for Texas Lt. Governor Mike Collier has raised more than $1 million in his bid challenging Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, a press release revealed Tuesday.
Collier ran against Patrick in 2018 and lost by less than five percentage points. The auditor and accountant launched an exploratory committee this year to challenge Patrick again, but he has yet to officially announce.
“Six months ago, I announced an exploratory committee to determine whether Texans support my candidacy for Lt. Governor,” Collier said in a prepared statement. “Today, I am pleased to report that I am supported by thousands of Texans who have donated over $1 million— nearly four-times the amount raised at this point in 2018, with seven-times as many donors. I look forward to announcing the next phase of this campaign soon.”
Collier’s campaign says it is not taking corporate PAC money and boasts teachers as its most common donor occupation.
“I am grateful to the thousands of Texans that have contributed to this effort,” Collier said. “Unlike Dan Patrick, I have not and will not accept even a dime of corporate PAC money. Powerful corporations can buy as many lawmakers as they want but the good people of Texas get only one Lt. Governor.”
On the Republican side of things, Patrick is so far the only candidate on the GOP ticket, but he may be facing at least one primary opponent, former George W. Bush campaign strategist Matthew Dowd.
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignalarchive.com
