Dewhurst to Patrick: Lt. gov. is ‘not God’
Challenger not present to rebut claim he holds erroneous view of job.
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst made the comments at a Williamson County Republican Women’s luncheon that Sen. Dan Patrick was unable to attend due to hiswife’s illness.
ROUND ROCK— Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Monday that the lieutenant governor presides over the Senate, but is “not God,” and that if state Sen. Dan Patrick is not clear on the difference, he might, if elected, find a Senate tempted to curb his powers.
Asserting that the Houston senator does not enjoy the trust of many of his colleagues, Dewhurst said, “if you don’t have trust, how do you lead? You can’t lead. You’re pushing yourself into a corner where sooner or later the senators are going to be tempted to change the rules, and that’s not good for the state of Texas.”
Dewhurst made the comment after appearing at a Williamson County Republican Women’s luncheon at the Williamson County Conference Center, where he was questioned by Cari Christman, executive director of Red State Women, a recently organized Republican women’s political action committee. Christman was to have questioned Dewhurst and Patrick, who will face each other in a May 27 GOP runoff, but Patrick’s wife, Jan, took ill as the Patricks were on their way to the event and they were unable to attend, his campaign manag- er said.
Last Wednesday, the last televised debate of the acrimonious runoff contest offered a clear example of Dewhurst’s and Patrick’s different approaches to the job of lieutenant governor.
The issue was last year’s so-called “equal pay” legislation making it easier for Texas women to pursue wage discrimination claims in court. Gov. Rick Perry vetoed the bill, saying there were already adequate legal remedies on the books.
At the debate, Dewhurst said he was a strong believer in “equal pay for equal work,” and while he questioned whether the bill Perry vetoed
Debate continued