Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Texas turned 'purple' after GOP's midterm election losses

AUSTIN, Texas - Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said he believes Texas has become a "purple" state during a podcast Thursday in which he shared his thoughts on the results of the 2026 midterm elections. 

Democrats made major gains in the state, winning every statewide race, and shattering decades of Republican control. Patrick was among the Republican incumbents seeking to keep their jobs, but was defeated by Democratic candidate Vikki Goodwin. 

‘We’ve turned purple' 

What they're saying:

Patrick spoke candidly about the results Thursday on the "Lt. Dan Podcast" that he hosts, saying that while he’s proud of the campaign he ran, he also respects the will of voters. 

The midterm election results have led many to say Texas turned "blue," but Patrick shared a different view of the state’s political landscape during his podcast. 

"Right now, I’d say it’s purple," he said. "What really made the difference were the independent voters. For almost every election, we’ve been winning those voters. We didn’t win them now. Two years ago, they almost all voted for the president. So I wouldn’t say we are a blue state, but we’ve turned purple for this moment." 

What caused voters to turn away from the GOP 

Patrick noted that Republicans lost support in multiple areas that they had previously gained in the 2024 election, including the Rio Grande Valley and with young voters. He attributed the losses primarily to voters’ frustrations over affordability and the Iran War. 

"We were in a tidal wave, a tsunami that washed across the country where people just said, ‘I can’t afford to feed my family; I can’t afford to pay my bills; I can’t even afford to fill up my car or truck’," Patrick said. "It was almost to the point where no matter what our message was, it didn’t matter. People were unhappy, and I get it." 

While he mentioned that he disagrees with their policies, Patrick said voters who were looking for a change saw candidates like James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa, who he added ran a "good campaign," and thought, "I’m gonna give them a chance." 

"People can agree with you on cultural issues or policy issues, but it doesn’t mean they’re gonna vote for you if they can’t afford groceries," Patrick said. 

The impact of the Iran War 

Dig deeper:

Patrick also elaborated on the war’s impact on the election. He acknowledged that it has driven up the cost of fuel, but said he supports President Donald Trump’s decision to intervene in Iran. 

"I totally support the president on that. If they had intelligence that Iran was gonna get a nuclear weapon, we could be in the middle of World War III if he didn’t take action, or Israel could have already been blown off the map," Patrick said. "So I support what the president did, but the reality is that had an impact." 

Last week, Vice President JD Vance also stated that the war in Iran was the reason Republicans faced major losses. However, some have argued that, overall, affordability was a bigger issue for voters. 

Patrick says GOP has ‘serious work to do’ 

What's next:

Patrick said Republicans have "serious work to do" going into the 2028 election cycle, and that he plans to continue to be a prominent voice in the Texas Republican Party. 

Other Texas Republicans have shared similar thoughts on what caused the election losses, with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller saying the party largely misunderstood voters and ignored issues that should have been a part of the "conservative message." 

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who now remains one of the only statewide elected Republicans, also blamed frustrations over rising costs for the midterm losses. He announced plans Tuesday to launch a new headquarters for his group Saving Texas as a part of an effort to bolster recruitment. 

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