AUSTIN, Texas — Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick cast the debate over LGBTQ rights as a religious fight between God-fearing people and those who lack faith in a higher power.
In an interview on Mark Davis’ radio show Wednesday morning, Patrick, a Republican, expressed support for barring transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming medical treatments and reiterated his plan to mirror Florida’s efforts to ban the discussion of sexual orientation in classrooms. He said the Texas Senate, which he leads as president, will prioritize these issues during the 2023 session.
The interview was the clearest recent expression by Patrick, one of the most powerful elected leaders in the state, on the scope of issues he plans to target next year.
