Latest news with #VikkiGoodwin
CBS News
16 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Democratic Texas Rep. Vikki Goodwin enters race for Lt. Governor, says "It's time for change"
State Representative Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, is taking on Lt. Governor Dan Patrick next year as he seeks a fourth term in office. In an interview for Eye On Politics, Goodwin explained why she's running. "I think the time is right. We need a change. I disagree with Dan Patrick on so many of the policies that he has, but also on the corruption that we see of him taking millions of dollars before he was the head judge in an impeachment trial, the way that he rules the Senate with an iron fist, really doesn't encourage any debate over there." Goodwin, who was first elected in 2018, will have to give up her legislative seat in southwest Austin to run for Lt. Governor. "I have to give up my seat in order to run, but it's very frustrating as a Democrat in the minority party when we get crumbs, during legislative sessions." Goodwin told CBS News Texas that her main platforms include public education. She opposed SB 2, the school choice law that will give students tax dollars to attend private schools. "This session we saw $1 billion going into private schools. And I anticipate with the current leadership, that will continue to grow over the years. I'm not in favor of sending our public tax dollars to unaccountable private schools. That's number one." Other issues she says are her top priorities include housing affordability, water and health care. "Housing affordability. I would say that all our leaders have talked about that as a big issue, but what we saw come out of session, in my opinion, doesn't do enough to address that issue. Water and energy, and infrastructure is a big deal. Again, water was prioritized this session. We talked about a lot of things: New water, leaky pipes, but not really a whole lot about conservation. I think there's a lot that we need to do around health care. Whether it's women having the ability to make their own personal private health care decisions or whether it is in rural areas, people just having access to good primary care." Patrick's campaign announced in January that it has $33.5 million cash on hand. President Trump has also endorsed the Lt. Governor for reelection next year. When asked how she can beat Patrick, Representative Goodwin said, "I think it's all about relationships, building relationships with people around things they care about. I've spent the last year traveling the state and looking at the issues all around the state. I'm not interested in the divisive issues. Let's put those aside and let's solve the problems that really make a difference in your life." Watch the full interview with Rep. Goodwin below:
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Austin Democratic state Rep. Vikki Goodwin launches bid for lieutenant governor
Austin Democratic state Rep. Vikki Goodwin is running for Texas lieutenant governor. The four-term representative on Tuesday announced her bid to unseat three-term Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has also launched his campaign for re-election in 2026. Goodwin has criticized Republican leadership in the state and has vowed "to fight for the things Texans care about most: strong public schools, access to abundant and clean water & power, housing affordability, and comprehensive health care for every Texan," according to a news release announcing her candidacy. 'As a lifelong Texan, a mom, a business owner, and a public servant, I've seen firsthand the challenges families across our state face,' Goodwin said in her statement. 'And sadly, our current leadership is busy tearing down our agencies and institutions, instead of building trust within our communities — both physical and demographic. I'm running for Lieutenant Governor because I believe in building a Texas that works for all of us — not just the well-connected few.' Goodwin, a 58-year-old real estate broker, comes into the race with a massive strategic and fiscal disadvantage. Patrick's coffers hold more than $33 million, while Goodwin has about $150,000, according to the latest campaign finance reports. Texas Democrats last won a statewide office in 1994, and Patrick beat his Democratic opponent by more than 10 percentage points in 2022. On the heels of Goodwin's announcement, her chief of staff and the Travis County Democratic Party chair, Pooja Sethi, announced she would run for the incumbent's seat in the state House. "Rep. Goodwin has been a tireless advocate for our district, & I'm ready to build on that work with the same grit, presence, & relentless drive to deliver for our community," Sethi wrote in a social media post Tuesday morning. Staff writer Bayliss Wagner contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Rep. Vikki Goodwin launches campaign for Texas lieutenant governor
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Should election judges be allowed to carry guns at voting sites? Texas House says yes.
Election judges and voting clerks who have a license to carry a handgun would be allowed to perform their election day duties while being armed under legislation the Texas House passed Thursday on a party-line vote. Republican state Rep. Carrie Isaac's House Bill 1128 — which would exempt election judges and early voting clerks serving as election judges during early voting from a firearm ban at polling places — touched off a debate between the bill's author and Democratic Rep. Vikki Goodwin of Austin when the legislation first came to the floor Wednesday over whether the presence of guns at voting sites would make elections safer. "Why do you want guns at polling places?" Goodwin asked. Isaac responded that threats and violence directed toward election workers have increased in recent years, which puts the security of elections at risk. "It's becoming harder and harder to recruit and retain workers because of rising threats," she said. "These are not isolated incidents." More: Memes, meanness, lies: How rhetorical flourish can still impact the Texas Legislature Isaac mentioned threats against former Tarrant County Elections Administrator Heider Garcia after the 2020 election to bolster her contention that poll workers can become targets of violent individuals. In written testimony to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in 2022, Garcia said the threats came after election deniers began casting doubts on the legitimacy of the outcome of the presidential race in which Democrat Joe Biden ousted Republican Donald Trump from the White House. Tarrant County became a lightning rod, he said, because it had long been a GOP stronghold but Biden narrowly outpolled Trump in the final vote count. Garcia told the committee that threats directed at him included disturbing social media posts, such as calls to "hunt him down" and "let his lifeless body hang in public until maggots drip out his mouth." But Goodwin questioned how allowing poll workers to carry handguns during elections would address or eliminate such threats. "Do you think it's possible that voters will be more intimidated by gun-toting poll workers?" she asked. More: 'School choice becomes the law of the land,' says a triumphant Gov. Abbott in signing SB 2 Isaac brushed aside the question, saying that only election judges who are licensed to carry handguns would be allowed to bring firearms to the polls. And the guns would likely be concealed and unnoticeable to voters, she added. "We are more safe when people are carrying firearms," Isaac said. According to the Texas Penal Code, only on- or off-duty law enforcement officers may bring firearms to a polling place. Texas is one of only 12 states and Washington, D.C., that prohibit firearms at polling sites, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. HB 1128, which the House passed on an 85-57 vote, now goes to the Senate, which will have less than a month to decide whether to bring up the bill for a vote before the 2025 legislative session ends June 2. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas House OKs bill allowing election judges to carry guns at polls
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Live updates: Education savings accounts on the Texas House floor
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — On Wednesday, the Texas House is expected to take up a years-long anticipated vote on Senate Bill 2 — which would establish education savings accounts (ESAs) — and House Bill 2 — the public school finance bill. READ MORE: Texas leaders share unfiltered thoughts on future of education An ESA program would allow families to use tax dollars to help pay for private education, while the public school finance bill would increase current funding to Texas's public schools by $7.7 billion. Before the meeting, some lawmakers started calling to turn SB 2 into a referendum — allowing Texas voters to have the final say on their ballots in November. 'The Governor keeps saying this is what Texans want,' Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, posted on X. 'But that's not what we're hearing. We should be putting this to a vote of all Texans.' Gov. Greg Abbott, who declared ESA legislation an emergency item for two consecutive sessions, said the voters already decided. 'This is just another desperate distraction from out-of-touch Texas Democrats,' Abbott's Press Secretary Andrew Mahaleris said in a statement. 'School choice was on the ballot last November, and Texans elected a school choice majority in the Texas Legislature. When it comes to education, parents matter, and families deserve the ability to choose the best education opportunities for their children.' As the day develops, we'll keep you updated right here on the latest from the Texas House floor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
