National Politics

Vikki Goodwin Wins Democratic Party Runoff, Will Face Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in November

Democratic Party voters elected Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D-Austin) in Texas' runoff election to face Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in November.

As of 10:45 p.m., Goodwin had received 68 percent of the votes, while her opponent, Marcos Vélez received 32 percent, according to NBC News.

Goodwin, a Texas House District 47 representative since 2018, has spoken against private school vouchers throughout her campaign and has emphasized investing in the state's public school system.

"The recently-passed Voucher program threatens to pull billions of dollars out of public education to unaccountable private schools for the wealthy," Goodwin wrote on her campaign website.

In addition to public education, her priorities include investing in clean water and energy, affordable housing, and ensuring access to comprehensive healthcare.

Goodwin's opponent Vélez, a blue-collar Texas worker and labor leader, ran on a campaign of elevating the working class. Issues he focused on included battling stagnant wages and making housing more affordable.

"Texas needs a wage floor that respects the value of work and policies that lift working families instead of corporate profit margins. Adult children should not have to live with their parents into their 40s due to soaring costs and private equity purchasing single family homes," Vélez wrote on his campaign website.

Other issues he prioritized in his campaign included supporting public schools, protecting rural Texas, creating a transparent state government and protecting Texas seniors.

Looking to the general election in the fall, a recent survey shows that incumbent Patrick appears to garner 47 percent of the vote, ahead of Goodwin's 40 percent.

 

Ashley Paredes

Intern for Texas Politics and journalism student at the University of Texas at Austin

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