Patrick Launches Consulting Firm After Losing Reelection
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has started Patrick Strategies less than a week after losing his bid for reelection.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Business Strategy
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Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick launched a political consulting firm, Patrick Strategies, less than a week after losing his reelection bid. Ethics experts say the launch could conflict with state law governing officeholders and lobbying.
Why it matters
State law bars officeholders from registering as lobbyists for two years after their most recent political donation and says private work by legislators should not create a substantial conflict with the public interest. The firm's disclaimer says it will provide strategic consulting rather than lobbying, a distinction that matters because lobbyists must register and disclose clients while consultants do not.
Officeholders cannot register as lobbyists for two years after their most recent political donation, and Patrick's most recent donation was made in October 2026. Whether the firm's activity falls under that restriction has not been determined.
The players
Dan Patrick
Dan Patrick is the Republican lieutenant governor of Texas who has held the office since 2015 and lost his 2026 reelection bid.
Vikki Goodwin
Vikki Goodwin is a Democrat who is set to succeed Dan Patrick as lieutenant governor of Texas.
The details
Patrick said the firm will focus on passing conservative pro-business bills, and his spokesman said he will not sign any clients until he leaves office on Jan. 19. The firm's website describes Patrick as a master of the Senate and House rules and urged Republicans to restrict the power of his successor, Democrat Vikki Goodwin.
Timeline
November 10, 2026: Patrick announced the consulting firm launch on his radio show.
January 19: Patrick leaves office and says he will not sign clients before then.
2015: Patrick became lieutenant governor.
Market Landscape
The launch places a recently defeated statewide officeholder directly into the political consulting market, where the line between strategy advice and lobbying under Texas law determines whether the firm must register and disclose clients. Patrick's firm arrives as he prepares to leave office, with his disclaimer and the timing of client signings central to how that line is read.
Anyone who hires a former officeholder's consulting firm should understand whether that firm is registered as a lobbyist, since lobbyists must disclose clients and pay fees while consultants do not. The firm's disclaimer and the Jan. 19 start date for client work are the concrete facts to track.
The takeaway
The practical question for anyone dealing with the firm is whether its work is strategic consulting or lobbying, because that distinction determines what must be registered and disclosed under Texas law.
What happens next
Patrick is scheduled to leave office on Jan. 19, the date after which his spokesman says the firm will begin signing clients.
Further reading
For more on how political consultants and lobbying rules shape business decisions in the state, see Business Strategy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Antonio Express-News.
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