Texas Democrats cheer, some Republicans decry Judge Glen Whitley’s Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick snub

Democrats are cheering Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley for backing Mike Collier for lieutenant governor over Dan Patrick, as some Republicans push back against the county’s top official.

“This is the first Democrat that I have ever endorsed, and to be very honest with you, I’m not endorsing a Democrat, I’m endorsing a Texan as a Texan,” Whitley, a Republican, told the Star-Telegram on Tuesday. “As a Texan, I’m endorsing the a Texan who I feel is the best person for the job.”

Whitley said he was backing Collier, a Democrat, in a Sunday episode of WFAA’s political podcast “Y’all-itics.”

The outgoing county judge cited the candidate’s work in auditing and as a certified public accountant, his support for public education and his focus on infrastructure, including the power grid.

“And just as important as any of that, he’s committed to cutting property taxes and working with local officials as their partners and not their enemy, so for all of that, I like Mike,” Whitley said during a WBAP-AM morning broadcast.

Collier’s campaign said Whitley was the first Republican official to announce support for the Democrat.

“We may be of different parties but we both care deeply about the people of Texas,” Collier said in a statement.

The judge’s comments were praised by Democrats as they work to pick up state and local seats in the Nov. 8 election. The party is in an uphill battle to elect a Democrat statewide. Texas Sen. Kel Seliger, an Amarillo Republican, announced Tuesday he also plans to support Collier.

Tarrant County Democratic Chair Allison Campolo wrote in a text Tuesday she was “heartened that Independents and Moderate Republicans such as Judge Whitley are taking a stand against extremist far right politicians like Dan Patrick.

“Citizens of Texas and Tarrant County are crying out for basic rights and we appreciate that Judge Glen Whitley is taking a stand for this need.”

Whitley’s support for Collier also caught the eyes of Rep. Chris Turner, a Grand Prairie Democrat who chairs the House Democratic caucus. In a tweet Turner said he and Whitley disagree on some things, but that the judge has been “consistent & correct” on his position that property takes are too high because public education is underfunded by the state.

“Judge Whitley speaks the truth,” Turner said in a separate tweet from Monday, responding to a series of tweets from Whitley.

Why is Whitley supporting Collier?

Whitley criticized Patrick for not doing more to reduce property taxes. He said the state continues to collect money through various taxes, while on the WBAP-AM show.

“I have been preaching for the last six years that if the state did what was constitutionally required of them, and that was to fund the maintenance and operations ... of schools, that our tax bill, the tax bill that you’ve just gotten, would be half of what it would be otherwise,” Whitley told the Star-Telegram.

Additionally, he said the county is having to use property tax dollars to house inmates who should be in state custody. Whitley argued property taxes could be lowered if the county was reimbursed.

The position of lieutenant governor is the most powerful in the state, Whitley said.

“In order for anything to get to the governor’s desk, it has to go across Patrick’s desk, and he can stop it on a dime if he wants to,” he said.

A spokesperson for Patrick on Tuesday said Whitley and Seliger are trying to stay relevant. The comment comes after Patrick criticized Whitley in a Sunday tweet, calling the judge and Collier “two-of-a-kind, tax hiking, big spenders.”

Patrick’s Chief Strategist Allen Blakemore said in a statement: “The post Labor Day Dinosaur parade has begun. Knowing voters reject their big government spending schemes, Whitley and Seliger are desperately searching for relevance in an age when voters hold political leaders accountable to stand up for Texas principles.”

Seliger said he supports Collier because he’s a “moderate and he’s worked to represent all Texans, regardless of ethnicity, sexual preferences, things like that.”

“He’s conservative, and I think he’ll be moderate, and I think it will be good for the state because the House and Senate are still going to have Republican majorities,” Seliger said. “He is going to have to compromise with everybody.”

Local Republicans respond

Tarrant County Republican Party Chair Rick Barnes in a statement shared by the party on Twitter said he was disappointed in but not surprised by Whitley’s endorsement.

“Mr. Whitley has not been in line with the Republican Party for some time now and he continues that position today,” he said. “Fortunately, Mr. Whitley does not lead the Party in any manner, and we will continue to work hard supporting our entire Republican ticket, from Governor to Constable.”

Rep. Phil King, a Weatherford Republican, also said he was disappointed, but unlike Barnes, King said he was “very surprised.” King, who is running unopposed for a Tarrant County Senate seat, maintained that under Patrick’s leadership more has been done to reduce property taxes than under any other lieutenant governor that’s served during his lifetime. He pointed to legislation capping increases on property tax collections, including school property taxes, among other policies as examples.

“Putting liberal Democrat in the Lieutenant Governor’s office would just lead to the Californiazation of Texas, and we do not want that,” King said.

State Rep. Charlie Geren, a Fort Worth Republican, declined to comment. State Rep. Stephanie Klick, also a Fort Worth Republican, criticized the endorsement, saying leadership is needed on all levels of government that oppose, not enable, President Joe Biden’s border policies.

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker declined to comment on Whitley’s endorsement and whether she’d be making any statewide endorsements for Democrats herself.

The mayor distanced herself from the Republican party in March during an interview with the Texas Tribune.

Parker’s predecessor Betsy Price, a Republican, said she wasn’t surprised by Whitley’s endorsement.

“He’s been very open about what he feels,” Price said.

Comments made a few months ahead of November election

Whitley’s comments come just under two months before the start of early voting in an election where the race for county judge is among the most high profile in the county.

Whitley, who supported former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price in the Republican primary, has declined to weigh in on his pick for his successor. Republican Tim O’Hare and Democrat Deborah Peoples are seeking the county judge seat.

“I won’t support anyone in the campaign,” Whitley said on the “Y’all-itics” podcast. “I’ll go in there and vote for somebody, but that’s between me and the machine.”

He reiterated the point Tuesday to the Star-Telegram.

Whitley said on the podcast that he’s ready to help whoever wins, if they want it, with making the transition smooth.

State Sen. Kelly Hancock was focused on the county judge race as he criticized Whitley in a Tuesday statement.

“After Judge Whitley used his years in office to oppose Republican priorities like property tax reform, it will be great to have a Tarrant County Judge, Tim O’Hare, who makes cutting property taxes a top priority,” Hancock said.

As Election Day nears, Turner, the Democratic lawmaker from Grand Prairie, believes Tarrant County is purple. Republicans like Whitley have carried the county in recent years, but Democrats Beto O’Rourke and President Joe Biden have also seen wins, he said.

“I think it will be close again this November, but I think that between Beto and Mike Collier, I believe we will carry Tarrant County at the top of the Ticket, which is going to help elect Democrats down ballots in races such as county judge and district attorney,” Turner said in an interview.

But Whitley wasn’t ready to go as far as saying the county’s political landscape is shifting in favor of Democrats while on the political podcast.

“I don’t believe so,” he said, asked if the county was turning purple.

The host pressed: “You don’t think so?”

“I really don’t,” Whitley said.

Staff Writers Abby Church and Bud Kennedy contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.