AUSTIN, Texas _ For the umpteenth time, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Monday said he isn't interested in igniting a partisan war and challenging Gov. Greg Abbott for the top spot in Texas politics.
"Once and for all I'm not running against Greg Abbott _ not in '18, not ever," Patrick said at a news conference called the day before the state Legislature kicks off its 2017 session. "Put it in cement: I'm not running against Greg Abbott."
With this official announcement, Patrick said he hoped to finally lay to rest speculation he plans to launch an intra-party war against the sitting governor in 2018. He will run again for lieutenant governor, he said, a position that anoints Patrick head of the Texas Senate and therefore affords him great power in setting the state's legislative agenda.
"All of that has been nothing more than someone's pipe dream, some speculation based on no facts. In fact, it's just the opposite of what I've been saying for the past year," Patrick said. "I want these stories to end, and that's the reason for the press conference today."
When asked whether he'd run for governor if Abbott chose not to run again, Patrick said, "If Gov. Abbott were not running for office _ and I fully expect he will _ if for some reason that office is vacant, we'll take that under consideration."
Patrick has long said he would not mount a challenge against Abbott. In June 2015, he insisted he would "never" run against Abbott for governor. Patrick repeated this promise at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last year.
"I'm as far as I'm going," he told The Dallas Morning News, adding, "As long as Greg Abbott's governor _ and I hope he stays governor a long time," he would not run against him. Patrick also reiterated his total lack of interest in representing Texas in Congress, saying, "I wouldn't take that job in a heartbeat."
Last week, in an interview with The San Antonio Express-News, he said, "I've been very clear, I've never even considered for a moment running against Greg Abbott, and I'm not running against Greg Abbott."
So why all the speculation? Much of it was fueled most recently by a December story by The Associated Press questioning Patrick's next political move. An ex-radio host and conservative firebrand, Patrick has positioned himself to Abbott's right on many issues, like school vouchers and transgender rights.
He's also been known for burning bridges with his political superiors. As a member of the state Senate in 2013, Patrick relied on then-Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst to secure a prominent committee chair, and then successfully challenged him.
But Patrick was never as vociferous about his support for Dewhurst as he has been with Abbott. Unlike in 2013, when Patrick said he needed to challenge the lieutenant governor to restore "authentic conservative leadership" to the position, he's never called into question Abbott's Republican bona fides.
On Monday, Patrick said using his political positions on issues this session to paint him as a threat to Abbott was simply a "distraction."
"I don't want the media writing stories that, 'Well, Dan took that position ... and what does all that mean politically?' It means nothing," Patrick said. "I'm endorsing Greg Abbott for governor in 2018."
When asked if he would similarly endorse U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz for re-election, he called the senator "a very good friend," but that he would make a decision on whether he would endorse at the appropriate time. Patrick, once the head of Cruz's Texas campaign for president, broke with the senator after he refused back then-presumptive nominee Donald Trump.
Patrick later became a top Texas surrogate for Trump, and criticized Cruz for refusing to endorse him at the convention. On Monday, however, he said he told Trump that he was not interested in being a part of the administration: "I'm running for lieutenant governor in 2018."
