Democratic state Rep. Vikki Goodwin won the Texas lieutenant governor race, defeating Republican incumbent Dan Patrick. The Associated Press called the race early Wednesday. Goodwin is the first woman elected to the office. As of 4:50 a.m., she held nearly 52% of the vote to Patrick's 46%.
Goodwin declared victory at a Democratic watch party in downtown Austin. Supporters cheered as statewide results came in, including Democrat James Talarico's win in the U.S. Senate race and Democrat Gina Hinojosa's defeat of Gov. Greg Abbott. Goodwin also pointed to Sarah Eckhardt's win in the comptroller's race. "We are ready to lead Texas," Goodwin said.
Patrick conceded in a statement late Tuesday. He said he respected how people voted and accepted the majority will of voters. Patrick was first elected lieutenant governor in 2014 and was seeking a fourth term. Goodwin, a state representative for a Travis County-based district, campaigned for increasing public school funding and teacher pay.