There was the release of mental health records and stories leaked about fist fights and racial slurs, but at the last debate in the Republican lieutenant governor runoff election the two candidates kept it cordial.
Yesterday's debate between incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and state Sen. Dan Patrick of Houston surprised many political experts who were expecting personal attacks during the debate in Salado, which was hosted by the Central Texas Tea Party.
DEWHURST: "I want to solve problems. I’m not as good as a speaker as Dan is -- I’ve known Dan for a very long time, he’s a very good speaker. I’m not as good of a speaker but I like to solve problems, that’s what I’ve been doing over the last ten years.”
Dewhurst told the crowd that the last debate isn’t a race to see who is the most conservative and continued to tout his record as lieutenant governor. Patrick made the case that he is only true conservative in the race.
PATRICK: "I’m running for lieutenant governor; not against anyone, but for my conservative vision that I believe the conservative agenda has not been completed. And I appreciate the lieutenant governor’s public service -- we’ve done some great things together -- I just think it’s now time for new energy, new passion, new change.”
Neither the candidates nor the moderator brought up the leak of Patrick’s medical records or claims that he was involved in a fist-fight in the 1980s with a former reporter for the Houston Post over an alleged racial slur used by Patrick.
Instead, the two were asked to weigh in on the pending impeachment of University of Texas Regent Wallace Hall and whether the NBA should be allowed to force Los Angles Clipper’s owner Donald Sterling to sell his team for his racist remarks and how that should play out in Texas if it happened here.
Dewhurst said he wants to stay impartial to the Hall investigation because of his position as lieutenant governor, but Patrick said the Legislature should not impeach Hall, defending his actions and portraying Hall as a patriot.
The two candidates both agreed the NBA should be allowed to strip Sterling of his ownership and were appalled by his words.
