Dallas Morning News: Contests for key state offices offer clear contrast between Democratic challengers, GOP incumbents

Texas Republicans and Democrats are like oil and water, so voters generally have an easy time distinguishing between the conservative and liberal ideologies of the parties.

Nowhere is the choice between Democrats and Republicans as clear as it is in the races for lieutenant governor and the state senate. From sanctuary cities legislation to so-called bathroom privacy bills, the senate has been the flash point for some of the most conservative, often controversial proposals in the Legislature.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is seeking re-election to a second term in November against Democrat Mike Collier, is steadfast in his promise to continue to produce conservative legislation, while Democrats want more progressive laws.

Those things, Collier said, involve bolstering public education, making sure the state has enough water, expanding Medicaid to provide affordable health care, true property tax relief and other kitchen table issues.

“The difference between the two of us couldn’t be any more stark,” he said. “My mission is to spend all of my time, and as much resources as I can marshal, to make the people know the difference on those issues between Dan Patrick and me. It’s very easy to make the contrast.”

Running in tandem

Collier said Democrats will win in November because of their down-ballot slate. He has been campaigning with state senate candidates Johnson and Kendall Scudder, who’s running against incumbent Sen. Bob Hall.

“Just is as important as talent at the top is people running for state house and state senate and county commission and county judge,” Collier said. “After 2014, I’ve always viewed this as a reverse coattail state.”