Democrat Vikki Goodwin is running for Texas lieutenant governor against Republican incumbent Dan Patrick, Libertarian Anthony Cristo and Green Party candidate Kevin McCormick in the Nov. 3, 2026, election, according to the state’s certified ballot.

Goodwin is a member of the Texas House. The priorities below come from her published campaign materials.

Public education

Goodwin supports higher pay for educators, less reliance on standardized testing and increases to the state’s basic school-funding allotment that keep pace with inflation. Her education platform opposes public funding for private school vouchers.

These changes would affect state support for local districts, but the reviewed platform does not quantify the additional funding each district would receive or identify a complete education funding package.

Healthcare and funding

Her Texas Cares proposal combines Medicaid expansion, a Basic Health Program for people earning between 138% and 200% of the federal poverty level, and a state insurance option open to all Texans.

She proposes using federal financing for the first two tiers, with Texas covering its required share and remaining costs. The third tier would use an initial Rainy Day Fund allocation, premiums and taxes on legalized cannabis. These are proposed financing sources, not an enacted program. The campaign provides no complete actuarial cost estimate, and implementation would require legislative action and applicable federal approvals.

Housing and water

Goodwin’s housing platform calls for automatic homestead exemption processing at closing, incentives for landlords offering qualifying rents and streamlined affordable-housing development.

Her water platform supports infrastructure repairs, water reuse and stronger conservation by large users. She also calls for pausing new data center construction pending comprehensive resource-use legislation. Local effects would depend on the laws and funding ultimately adopted.

Authority of the office

The lieutenant governor presides over the Texas Senate and appoints its committees, giving the office substantial influence over legislation. The officeholder cannot independently enact a budget, tax change or insurance program; those require action by the Legislature and, ordinarily, the governor.

This profile uses the certified ballot and Goodwin’s current campaign platform. It omits unverified endorsements and outdated policy descriptions.

The Flower Mound Times did not receive a direct questionnaire response from the candidate and does not endorse candidates.