Texas Lieutenant Governor Hopeful Floats Gambling Vote
In May, State Representative Vikki Goodwin announced her candidacy for Lieutenant Governor in next year’s midterm election. While Goodwin has long been expected to run for the seat, it is no less a bold gambit that would involve giving up a safe seat in the Texas House of Representatives.
Goodwin has served as a State Representative since 2018, when she defeated incumbent Republican Paul Workman. Since then, she has made a name for herself by focusing on such issues as healthcare, education, and child welfare. Goodwin is now on the campaign trail that could see her become the second-highest constitutional officer in Texas.
Goodwin has made her stance on betting clear, namely that it should be the people’s choice. Whilst casino gambling and sports betting are not core tenets of her campaign, she is willing to embrace them if Texas voters pass a gaming referendum. Her stance on video games (and Texas’s long-held tradition of demonizing them) remains less clear.
“I am in favor of letting the people of Texas vote on whether or not to legalize gambling in Texas. Right now, people leave and take their dollars with them to go to nearby states where they can gamble, which means Texas is losing out on potential revenue and economic activity.”
Currently, many Texas gamblers, who must travel out of state to destinations like Louisiana and Oklahoma, feel out of sync with lawmakers. Texas is missing out on a lucrative source of revenue that many other states are cashing in on. Legalizing gambling in Texas would present an array of benefits, including job creation, tourism, and tax revenue.
Goodwin noted that if legalized, the industry would need to be properly regulated. This is not the first time that the gambling question has come up in Texas. Las Vegas Sands has contributed a significant amount to lobbying efforts and has expressed an interest in building a resort in Dallas for many years.
At present, only limited forms of gambling are legal in the Lone Star State. These include parimutuel betting on horse and greyhound races, charitable bingo and raffles, the Texas Lottery, and three Native American casinos.
Sweepstakes casinos are popular in Texas, although these operate under federal sweepstakes law, not under gambling regulation. The legality of sweepstakes owes to the fact that no purchase is necessary to enter, as well as its dual-currency model.
Earlier this year, Texas passed Senate Bill 517, which came into effect on September 1st. This bill expanded the definition of “gambling device” under Texas law to more broadly include things that mimic physical and virtual slot machines. It has also furthered what is counted as a “thing of value”. This now includes digital credits, which could cover “sweeps coins”.
This bill has ramifications for both players and operators. Sweepstakes casino sites may need to adjust how they operate in Texas, while players need to be surer than ever that they choose legitimate platforms, like Vegas Sweeps, that offer a legal free-entry method.
In February, State Senator Carol Alvarado pre-filed Joint Resolution 16, which would permit sports betting and casino gambling at destination resorts. Despite public interest, the state constitutional amendment is a tough sell and one that current Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is firmly opposed to.
Historically, the office has been controlled by members of the Texas Democratic Party. However, since Rick Perry’s election in 1998, Republicans have held sway over the office. Goodwin’s election would bring that run to an end and see Texas’s first Democrat Lieutenant Governor in over twenty-five years.
Four-term representative Vikki Goodwin will run against Dan Patrick, who currently holds the role and has said that he will seek reelection. Beating the three-term incumbent will be no mean feat, but the democrats are hoping to capitalize on a backlash against President Donald Trump.
In an interview for Eye on Politics, Goodwin explained why she thinks the time is right for a change in leadership.
“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 is viewed as one of the more liberal members of the State House and is currently serving on the chamber’s Appropriations and Insurance committees. She is the first candidate to have declared themselves and has already appointed a campaign treasurer for her bid, the first formal step in raising money.
No other candidates have formally signaled their intention to run, although Joaquin Castro has publicly expressed an interest. Veronica Escobar and Nathan Johnson have both confirmed that they will not be running this time around. Escobar is running for reelection, and Johnson is running for attorney general.
Goodwin has entered the race at a financial disadvantage. According to recent campaign finance reports, Patrick’s funds amount to more than $33 million. In contrast, Goodwin is running with around $150,000. Her team has acknowledged that she has a steep hill to climb to win the race, but is confident that even conservative Texans are looking for a change in leadership.
While Goodwin is clearly at a fiscal disadvantage compared to her opponent, she should have no problems in funding her bid for office. The Democratic candidate has ample time for fundraising. Speaking to CBS News, she explained that it would take more than just money to win the election.
“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.”
The Lieutenant Gubernatorial election will take place on November 3rd, 2026. The first poll, conducted by UT Tyler, places Goodwin behind Patrick, at 42% of the vote versus 46% for the incumbent. The State Representative may be an underdog, but she has piqued interest, and with only a little under a year left before the election, it’s all to play for.