You Voted Early Yet?

President Trump Nominates Texas Senator Lt. Colonel Brian Birdwell as Assistant Secretary of Defense

Congratulations to Senator Brian Birdwell on being nominated by President Trump to be Assistant Secretary of Defense.

We will greatly miss him in the Texas Senate. He is truly one of the greatest senators ever to serve Texas. He is respected by all members for his work ethic, boldness, and kindness.

This appointment is no surprise to those who know him. Lt. Col. Birdwell is a recipient of a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Legion of Merit, and represents a lifetime of service from the battlefield, to the Pentagon, and in the Texas Senate.

A survivor of the 9/11 Pentagon attack, he endured 39 surgeries on his road to recovery. America is in great hands with my friend in this key position. A soldier at heart, I know he will give his all and serve our country honorably in his next mission as Assistant Secretary of Defense.

All 17 Amendments on the Ballot Have Bipartisan Support — Vote YES on All 17

I joined Voz Media anchor and executive director Karina Yapor to discuss this important election.

Every one of the 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot has support across party lines — vote YES on all 17! Early voting is happening now.

Click here to watch the interview.

Have You Voted Early Yet? It’s Not Too Late!

Early voting is happening now through Friday, October 31.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4.

Make sure your voice is heard and your vote is counted. For more information about what’s on the ballot, visit votetexas.gov.

How 17 Constitutional Amendments Got on the November Ballot

People ask me which amendments I support and which ones I don’t. I say: vote YES on all 17.

Why? First, because getting an amendment on the November ballot requires at least a two-thirds vote in both the Texas House and the Texas Senate. Since we have a Republican majority legislature, we need to have about 95% or more of all Republican members in support of the amendments, plus several Democrats to reach the two-thirds threshold in both chambers. That means the Republicans you elected to the House and Senate believe these are good policies for all Texans.

Second, these issues were studied, vetted, and discussed in hearings for months. Many of the amendments come right from the people. Other amendments come from our study on critical needs that need to be addressed for Texas to continue to be the job leader in the nation and to ensure our infrastructure is ready to handle our continuing growth.

Third, if our Republican members thought any of these amendments were bad for Texas, we wouldn’t bring them up for a vote.

That doesn’t mean every voter agrees with every amendment. Amendments rarely get 100% voter approval; most pass with 75% to 85% support, with a few in the 60% range.

I respect that some Republican voters will have different views for different reasons, or maybe because the legislature has not done a good enough job of laying out the reasons for their passage. That’s what I’m trying to do here. With near-unanimous support from Republican legislators, we believe all 17 amendments are good for Texas.

Here’s a general overview of the 17 proposed amendments.

The majority of the amendments cut property taxes, business taxes, and address inheritance and capital gains taxes.

Other amendments address our critical water needs, expand job training for plumbers, carpenters, welders, HVAC technicians, and other important skilled labor jobs, provide research funding for Alzheimer’s disease, and keep felons behind bars.

I hope you will support all 17 amendments.

I’ve highlighted a few of these amendments in short, 30-second videos to help explain them.

Vote YES on these propositions…

Vote YES on Proposition 1

Right now, Texas has more than 50,000 skilled job openings — for carpenters, plumbers, electricians, welders, and more. Proposition 1 will help expand our Texas State Technical College campuses so we can train more Texans for these high-paying, in-demand jobs. Vote YES on Prop 1!

Vote YES on Proposition 3

Proposition 3 is a landmark bail reform law that will keep murderers, rapists, and violent criminals behind bars as they await trial, preventing rogue judges from releasing them onto our streets. Vote YES on Prop 3 to keep dangerous criminals behind bars and Texans safe.

Vote YES on Proposition 4

As Texas grows, so does our demand for water. Proposition 4 creates the Texas Water Fund, providing critical funding to improve and expand our state’s water infrastructure. Vote YES on Prop 4 to help ensure Texas has enough water to meet our state's growing needs.

Vote YES on Proposition 11

Ten years ago, the homestead exemption was only $15,000. With the passage of Prop 11, the homestead exemption for seniors will increase to $200,000, meaning the average senior homeowner will never pay school property taxes again. Vote YES on Prop 11!

Vote YES on Proposition 13

With the passage of Proposition 13, the homestead exemption for homeowners under 65 will increase to $140,000, ensuring that all homeowners continue to benefit from lower school property taxes. Vote YES on Prop 13!

Vote YES on Proposition 14

Over 500,000 Texans suffer from dementia, mostly with Alzheimer’s. Proposition 14 will provide critical funding for research, prevention, treatment, and, hopefully, one day, a cure for this devastating disease. Vote YES on Prop 14!

Thank you for all your support over the years and for everything you do to keep Texas red. May God bless you and your family, and may He continue to bless the greatest state of all—Texas.

Sincerely,

Dan Patrick

Dan Patrick
Lieutenant Governor of Texas

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"Whomever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant."
Matthew 20:26 (NLT)

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