RELEASE: Republican Lt. Governor Bill Ratliff (Ret) Endorses Democrat Mike Collier for Texas Lt. Governor
Ratliff becomes third prominent Texas Republican to endorse against incumbent Dan Patrick
AUSTIN, TX — Today former Lt. Governor Bill Ratliff (R) announced his endorsement of Mike Collier for Texas Lt. Governor.
Ratliff, a Republican who served as the 40th Lt. Governor of Texas, cited Collier’s background and willingness to put people above party as key reasons for the endorsement.
A fixture in the Texas legislature for decades, Ratliff served as Chair of the Senate Education Committee under Lt. Governor Bob Bullock. In 2005, Ratliff was awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for “the example he has set of courage and principle in American public life”.
Governor Bill Ratliff issued the following statement:
“During my tenure in the Texas Senate, we had one principle that guided us. Don’t worry about Democrats and Republicans, do what’s best for Texas. This principle made George W. Bush a great governor and made the entire Texas legislature far better than the partisan gridlock we see in Washington DC. This was a big part of the “Texas Miracle” in my opinion.
“I believe Mike Collier’s background as a businessman and energy professional makes him the best candidate to help return the Texas Senate to that principle. Members of the Senate should be free to vote their district without fear of retribution or retaliation from the Lt. Governor and all 31 Senators should have a voice for their constituents.
“When I ran for office, I had support from both sides of the aisle because the people of East Texas voted for the man, not the party. As a former elected Republican, I’m putting partisanship aside and joining the growing number of Republicans voting for the man we think is best for Texas, and that’s Mike Collier.”
Mike Collier issued the following statement:
“We are building a coalition across the state and across the aisle, and I could not be more proud to have Governor Ratliff’s support. As someone who has served as Lt. Governor, he understands that Texas deserves a Lt. Governor who will put aside politics and put Texans first. And as Lt. Governor, I will work with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike to fund our schools, rein in our property taxes, protect our rights, and fix the damn grid.”
Mike Collier is a lifelong businessman and energy expert from Houston, Texas. In 2018, he ran the closest race for Lt. Governor in twenty years against Dan Patrick, outperforming the rest of the Democratic ticket in two thirds of Texas counties.
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