Changes

===2018 election===

===2018 election===

Patrick won re-nomination with 1,172,830 (76 percent) to 368,995 (24 percent) in the Republican primary on March 6, 2018. He faced a single intra-party rival, Scott Milder, a member of the city council in Rockwall in the eastern portion of the [[Dallas]] Metroplex. Milder used the campaign theme "Return Texas to Normalcy," like [[Warren Harding]] employed nationally in his 1920 presidential race against James M. Cox. Milder carried the backing of the [[liberal]], anti-Patrick ''San Antonio Express-News.''<ref>"Milder, Collier for lieutenant governor," ''San Antonio Express-News'', February 18, 2018, p. F2.</ref> Despite claiming to be "conservative", Milder endorsed Michael E. "Mike" Collier (born c. 1961) of Harris County, Patrick's Democrat opponent in the November 6 general election.<ref>Mike Ward (March 8, 2018). [https://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/Republican-endorses-Democrat-challenger-to-Lt-12738169.php Republican endorses Democrat challenger to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick]. ''The Houston Chronicle''. Retrieved March 10, 2018.</ref> Collier is a graduate of the [[University of Texas at Austin]] and a former auditor with PricewaterhouseCooper who claims to have previously been a Republican.  

Patrick won re-nomination with 1,172,830 (76 percent) to 368,995 (24 percent) in the Republican primary on March 6, 2018. He faced a single intra-party rival, Scott Milder, a member of the city council in Rockwall in the eastern portion of the [[Dallas]] Metroplex. Milder used the campaign theme "Return Texas to Normalcy," like [[Warren Harding]] employed nationally in his 1920 presidential race against James M. Cox. Milder carried the backing of the [[liberal]], anti-Patrick ''San Antonio Express-News.''<ref>"Milder, Collier for lieutenant governor," ''San Antonio Express-News'', February 18, 2018, p. F2.</ref> Despite claiming to be "conservative", Milder endorsed Michael E. "Mike" Collier (born c. 1961) of Harris County, Patrick's Democrat opponent in the November 6 general election.<ref>Ward, Mike (March 8, 2018). [https://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/Republican-endorses-Democrat-challenger-to-Lt-12738169.php Republican endorses Democrat challenger to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick]. ''The Houston Chronicle''. Retrieved March 10, 2018.</ref> Collier is a graduate of the [[University of Texas at Austin]] and a former auditor with PricewaterhouseCooper who claims to have previously been a Republican.  

In 2014, Mike Collier was the Democrat nominee for Texas state comptroller on the Democrat ticket headed by the abortion backer Wendy Davis, but he was handily defeated by the Republican Glenn Hagar, who is seeking his second term in the same general election. Josh Brodesky, columnist for ''The San Antonio Express-News'', postulates that Collier will run much better against Patrick in 2018 than he did against Hagar four years earlier. Brodesky cites as evidence for his claim the fact that Collier, fellow Democrat Michael Cooper, and Scott Milder combined out-polled Patrick in the primary election, 1,325,703 to 1,172,830. Hence the three non-conservative candidates outpolled Patrick by 152,873 votes statewide. Brodesky said that Patrick's support for the failed 2017 bill to require [[transgender]]ed persons to use the public restroom corresponding to their genitalia at birth, along with Patrick's perceived skepticism toward public education has brought forth "the unique political environment of energized Democrats" seeking victory in 2018.<ref>Josh Brodesky, "Collier challenge to Patrick may be the most interesting race", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 1, 2018, p. F3.</ref>

In 2014, Mike Collier was the Democrat nominee for Texas state comptroller on the Democrat ticket headed by the abortion backer [[Wendy Davis]], but he was handily defeated by the Republican Glenn Hagar, who is seeking his second term in the same general election. Josh Brodesky, columnist for ''The San Antonio Express-News'', postulates that Collier will run much better against Patrick in 2018 than he did against Hagar four years earlier. Brodesky cites as evidence for his claim the fact that Collier, fellow Democrat Michael Cooper, and Scott Milder combined out-polled Patrick in the primary election, 1,325,703 to 1,172,830. Hence the three non-conservative candidates outpolled Patrick by 152,873 votes statewide. Brodesky said that Patrick's support for the failed 2017 bill to require [[transgender]]ed persons to use the public restroom corresponding to their genitalia at birth, along with Patrick's perceived skepticism toward public education has brought forth "the unique political environment of energized Democrats" seeking victory in 2018.<ref>Josh Brodesky, "Collier challenge to Patrick may be the most interesting race", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 1, 2018, p. F3.</ref>

===Tenure===

===Tenure===

On May 13, 2016, Patrick criticized the [[Obama administration]] after it released a "directive" stating that all public schools must allow transgender students to use the bathroom and locker facilities that correspond with their identified gender, stating that, on the prospect of the federal government withholding funding for Texas schools for not following the directive, "he can keep his 30 pieces of silver [and that w]e will not yield to blackmail from the president of the United States."<ref>{{cite web | last1=Gass | first1=Nick | title=Texas Lt. Gov. Accuses Obama of 'Blackmail' on Transgender Bathrooms | url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/transgender-bathrooms-obama-texas-lieutenant-governor-223159 | date=May 13, 2016 | publisher=''Politico'' | accessdate=May 14, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Healy PÉREZ-PEÑAMAY  | first1=Jack | last2=Pérez-Peñamay | first2=Richard | title=Solace and Fury as Schools React to Transgender Policy | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/14/us/transgender-bathrooms.html?_r=0 | date=May 13, 2016 | publisher=''[[The New York Times]]'' | accessdate=May 14, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Texas to Instruct Schools Not to Obey Obama's Transgender Bathroom Decree|url=http://insider.foxnews.com/2016/05/13/tx-lt-gov-dan-patrick-transgender-bathrooms-would-be-end-public-education|accessdate=14 May 2016|publisher=Fox News Insider}}</ref>

On May 13, 2016, Patrick criticized the [[Obama administration]] after it released a "directive" stating that all public schools must allow transgender students to use the bathroom and locker facilities that correspond with their identified gender, stating that, on the prospect of the federal government withholding funding for Texas schools for not following the directive, "he can keep his 30 pieces of silver [and that w]e will not yield to blackmail from the president of the United States."<ref>{{cite web | last1=Gass | first1=Nick | title=Texas Lt. Gov. Accuses Obama of 'Blackmail' on Transgender Bathrooms | url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/transgender-bathrooms-obama-texas-lieutenant-governor-223159 | date=May 13, 2016 | publisher=''Politico'' | accessdate=May 14, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Healy PÉREZ-PEÑAMAY  | first1=Jack | last2=Pérez-Peñamay | first2=Richard | title=Solace and Fury as Schools React to Transgender Policy | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/14/us/transgender-bathrooms.html?_r=0 | date=May 13, 2016 | publisher=''[[The New York Times]]'' | accessdate=May 14, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Texas to Instruct Schools Not to Obey Obama's Transgender Bathroom Decree|url=http://insider.foxnews.com/2016/05/13/tx-lt-gov-dan-patrick-transgender-bathrooms-would-be-end-public-education|accessdate=14 May 2016|publisher=Fox News Insider}}</ref>

Patrick strongly supported a 2017 that would have required people in Texas to use the restroom of their natural gender.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/05/new-bathroom-bill-in-texas-may-spark-north-carolina-like-outrage.html New bathroom bill in Texas may spark North Carolina-like outrage]. ''Fox News''. January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017.</ref>

Patrick strongly supported a common-sense bill in 2017 that would have required people in Texas to use the restroom of their biological gender.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/05/new-bathroom-bill-in-texas-may-spark-north-carolina-like-outrage.html New bathroom bill in Texas may spark North Carolina-like outrage]. ''Fox News''. January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017.</ref>

In April 2018, as he began preparing for the general election campaign against Mike Collier, Patrick strongly endorsed President Trump's request for National Guard troops on the Mexican border to protect the states from potential invasion by illegal aliens. Patrick even said that he hopes that "hell freezes over" until Trump's border wall can be constructed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.breitbart.com/video/2018/04/06/tx-lt-gov-i-hope-national-guard-stays-on-border-until-hell-freezes-over-until-that-wall-is-built/|title=TX Lt. Gov: I Hope National Guard Stays on Border ‘Until Hell Freezes over, Until that Wall Is Built’|publisher=Breitbart.com|date=April 6, 2018|author=Ian Hanchett|accessdate=April 7, 2018}}</ref>

In April 2018, as he began preparing for the general election campaign against Mike Collier, Patrick strongly endorsed President Trump's request for National Guard troops on the Mexican border to protect the states from potential invasion by illegal aliens. Patrick even said that he hopes that "hell freezes over" until Trump's border wall can be constructed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.breitbart.com/video/2018/04/06/tx-lt-gov-i-hope-national-guard-stays-on-border-until-hell-freezes-over-until-that-wall-is-built/|title=TX Lt. Gov: I Hope National Guard Stays on Border ‘Until Hell Freezes over, Until that Wall Is Built’|publisher=Breitbart.com|date=April 6, 2018|author=Ian Hanchett|accessdate=April 7, 2018}}</ref>

==Personal life==

==Personal life==

Patrick and his wife, Jan, together they have two children.<ref name="PVS"/> Patrick has written a best-selling book, ''The Second Most Important Book You Will Ever Read: A Personal Challenge to Read the Bible'',<ref>Patrick, Dan (2002). ''The Second Most Important Book You Will Ever Read: A Personal Challenge to Read the Bible'', Publisher: Thomas Nelson, Inc., ISBN 0-7852-6286-5.</ref> and a film, ''The Heart of Texas''.<ref name=nextlevel/> Patrick's son, Ryan Kelley Goeb Patrick (born 1979), is an American lawyer and former judge who currently serves as the United States Attorney for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. He was formerly until his defeat at the polls a state district judge in Harris County. Ryan Patrick swore in his father as lieutenant governor in 2015.

Patrick and his wife, Jan, together they have two children.<ref name="PVS"/> Patrick has written a best-selling book, ''The Second Most Important Book You Will Ever Read: A Personal Challenge to Read the Bible'',<ref>Patrick, Dan (2002). ''The Second Most Important Book You Will Ever Read: A Personal Challenge to Read the Bible'', Publisher: Thomas Nelson, Inc., ISBN 0-7852-6286-5.</ref> and a film, ''The Heart of Texas''. Patrick's son, Ryan Kelley Goeb Patrick (born 1979), is an American lawyer and former judge who currently serves as the United States Attorney for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. He was formerly until his defeat at the polls a state district judge in Harris County. Ryan Patrick swore in his father as lieutenant governor in 2015.<ref name=nextlevel/>

According to Patrick, as his surname from birth, ''Goeb'', was not pleasant-sounding or spelled as it sounded, he did not use it from his first day as a radio host.<ref name="Truth"/> Instead, he used the [[Pseudonym|air name]] of ''Dan Scott''.<ref name="Truth"/> When Patrick became a television broadcaster in 1977, he changed his air name at the request of the person who hired him in order to avoid confusing Patrick with another anchor at a competitor station with the last name of Scott.<ref name="Truth"/> Patrick chose ''Dan Patrick'', with "Patrick" being his middle name of his wife's brother.<ref name="Truth"/> Patrick continued to use this name, and by the time he legally changed his name about 2004, he and his family were known as ''the Patricks''.<ref name="Truth"/>

According to Patrick, as his surname from birth, ''Goeb'', was not pleasant-sounding or spelled as it sounded, he did not use it from his first day as a radio host.<ref name="Truth"/> Instead, he used the [[Pseudonym|air name]] of ''Dan Scott''.<ref name="Truth"/> When Patrick became a television broadcaster in 1977, he changed his air name at the request of the person who hired him in order to avoid confusing Patrick with another anchor at a competitor station with the last name of Scott.<ref name="Truth"/> Patrick chose ''Dan Patrick'', with "Patrick" being his middle name of his wife's brother.<ref name="Truth"/> Patrick continued to use this name, and by the time he legally changed his name about 2004, he and his family were known as ''the Patricks''.<ref name="Truth"/>