<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=45B2So_0uSAkbS600" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=45B2So_0uSAkbS600" width="1200" height="628" ></figure>After Hurricane Beryl hit Houston and left millions without power, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick had to take charge with his nominal boss, Governor Greg Abbott out of the country. Just how powerful is Patrick?It’s a long-running Texas politics axiom that the lieutenant governor’s office is actually the more powerful of the two top executive positions. The lieutenant governor has de facto control over the legislature because he alone decides what the senate votes on. Nothing gets past the upper chamber unless the lieutenant governor wants it to. He also decides committee appointments.Which is not to say the governor is powerless. The office can still veto legislation in total or in part (line-item). The office also has broader authority, such as running the Texas state military. Abbott has used that power for years to run what many see as an illegal border war.Still, in the current crisis, there is no arguing that Patrick was the top authority for the state of Texas. He met with President Joe Biden about federal aid, then promptly sparred with him when Biden accused Texas leadership of delays in getting the formal disaster declaration. It’s telling how easily Patrick slipped into the role of leader of the state. That’s because his office is already used to an unusual level of authority compared to other lieutenant governors.Moneywise, the movers and shakers of Texas Republican politics still seem to prefer Abbott. While Patrick had the backing of the powerful Defend Texas Liberty PAC after Abbott ran afoul of them, it’s still unclear how that money will end up mattering following a white supremacy scandal at DTL.Meanwhile, Pennsylvania billionaire Jeff Yass has given more than twelve times as much money to Abbott as Patrick. Silver Eagle Beverage mogul John L. Nau and his wife, two of the biggest contributors to Republican politicians in Texas, also fund Abbott over Patrick, though not by much.The energy industry is in the crosshairs at the moment thanks to the prolonged power outages of two storms since May. The five largest energy companies in Texas—Calpine, CenterPoint, NRG Energy, Oncor and Vistra— and their top executives have steadily increased their donations since 2021. <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/04/texas-energy-industry-donations-legislature/">Abbott outpaces Patrick roughly 4-to-1</a>.Most metrics point to Abbott being more powerful than Patrick. However, there is definitely something different in the air that can’t be measured in numbers or official duties. Patrick’s promise to have the Public Utility Commission look into CenterPoint’s handling of the storm has comforted the Texans waiting in the heat for the electricity to return. The fact that Patrick has the power to increase the PUC’s ability to regulate CenterPoint next year is a potent threat.And if Patrick is already getting the short end of the stick from the energy industry compared to his boss, it would leave him free to pass bipartisan legislation to corral the energy industry. Abbott would then be forced to either veto the bill on behalf of his donors or acquiesce to his lieutenant in the face of popular support. Either way, Patrick will be standing on equal footing with Abbott.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

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Is Dan Patrick More Powerful Than Greg Abbott?

After Hurricane Beryl hit Houston and left millions without power, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick had to take charge with his nominal boss, Governor Greg Abbott out of the country. Just how powerful is Patrick?. It’s a long-running Texas politics axiom that the lieutenant governor’s office is actually the more powerful...