Politics
Texas Democratic Lieutenant Governor Candidate Campaigns On Support For Marijuana Reform At ‘Legalize It’ Rally
The Democratic candidate running to become Texas’s next lieutenant governor is drawing a clear contrast with the Republican incumbent on the issue of cannabis.
Vikki Goodwin, who is currently a state representative, will be holding what her campaign calls a “Legalize It” rally in Houston on Saturday. It will feature a performance from Grammy award-winning musician Kam Franklin and an update from an attorney helping to lead litigation against hemp THC product restrictions that were recently enacted by Texas officials.
A press release from Goodwin’s campaign calls out “pharmaceutical and alcohol industry donations” to her opponent, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), who oversees the Senate and has championed legislation to recriminalize many hemp products.
While the bill Patrick favored was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R), the governor then issued an executive order on the issue and regulators have since enacted significant restrictions on derivatives from the crop.
“Join us to Ban Dan and elect the only one who can stop the THC ban, Vikki Goodwin,” the campaign said of the Houston event, which is expected to be the first of several cannabis-focused rallies in major urban areas of the state.
Meanwhile, Goodwin is also endorsing a local measure on Houston’s November ballot to make misdemeanor marijuana possession the “lowest possible enforcement priority” and ban no-knock warrants.
“We should not be wasting public resources and ruining lives over low-level cannabis possession. We should not be barging into people’s homes with no-knock raids that escalate danger for both residents and law enforcement,” she said. “Houston voters have an opportunity to lead the state with a smarter, safer approach to public safety. I believe in local government, and communities should have the power to demand policies that reflect their values and prioritize safety and dignity.”
The Goodwin campaign is additionally encouraging cannabis reform supporters to participate in phone banking outreach to Texas voters.
“Overnight, Dan Patrick made Delta-8 a Schedule I drug in Texas, the same category as heroin and put thousands of Texas hemp businesses out of work. He used the power of the Lieutenant Governor to force through a prohibition crusade backed by the alcohol lobby,” the campaign said. “Half of Texas voters, and 62% of voters under 50, say the ban makes them less likely to back Dan Patrick. They just need to hear that Vikki is the one who can undo it.”
A press release from Goodwin’s team cited a poll from last year showing that a strong bipartisan majority of Texans support legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana.
“Texas needs a sensible regulatory framework for THC, rather than outright prohibition,” her campaign website says.
“Dan Patrick Chose Prohibition Over Protection: Delta-8, Delta-10, THCA and THCP are now Schedule I in Texas — the same category of drug as heroin. Vape pens are a felony at any amount. Purchase and possession of products that you could buy over the counter just a few weeks ago are now illegal. Thousands of Texas manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers lost their business overnight. Consumers who relied on tested, labeled products are now buying from an unregulated market.”
“The Lt. Governor controls the Senate calendar. Dan Patrick used that power to force through an anti-cannabis crusade, paid for by the alcohol lobby,” the site says. “Vikki Goodwin will use it to get Texas a framework that protects people without destroying livelihoods.”
Last month, Goodwin claimed that Patrick pushed to ban hemp THC products in order to benefit alcohol companies, which happen to be among his substantial campaign contributors.
“We’ve seen the lieutenant governor take hundreds of thousands of dollars from the alcohol industry, and that’s what drove the policy around the ban on THC,” she said. “I am in favor of treating THC like alcohol. A part of my healthcare plan is taxing THC like we do alcohol and cigarettes and use that for healthcare.”
Marijuana Moment reached out to Patrick’s campaign for comment, but a representative was not immediately available.
Texas Democrats are increasingly using the cannabis issue to bash Republicans as the November elections approach—and are highlighting their opponents’ support from the alcohol industry.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico, for example, wants to legalize marijuana and suggested in a recent interview that that his opponent for the seat, state Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) supports banning cannabis in order to aid his political donors in the alcohol and tobacco industries.
“It doesn’t make any sense until you follow the money and realize that it is big beer and big tobacco that are funding the politicians, like Ken Paxton, who turned around and banned these safe THC products in order to enrich the big beer and a big tobacco lobby,” Talarico, who currently serves as a state representative, said.
In a separate interview, the Democratic candidate said that keeping marijuana illegal while also moving to restrict hemp THC products is an “insane” form of “corruption.”
“Think about what industries are most worried about THC products being readily available: Big Beer, Big Tobacco, right? And so they were the ones pushing this THC ban because it hurts their bottom line,” he said. “And a lot of research shows that THC—cannabis—these products are safer and less addictive than than beer or tobacco.”
“And so to me, this is a prime example of what corruption looks like when you’ve got big industries buying politicians and pushing bills that harm people, but benefit them financially,” Talarico said.
The Texas Democratic Party recently called out Paxton for refusing to answer a question about cannabis policy after he was recently shown in a video posted to X being asked what his thoughts are on the “state’s THC ban.”
“I don’t know the details of it, but let’s talk later,” he replied before quickly stepping away.
Paxton, in fact, has sued to overturn local voter-approved marijuana decriminalization laws in several cities across Texas.
His office has also defended hemp product restrictions in court against lawsuits from the industry. That includes a recently enacted ban on certain hemp-derived THC cannabis products, including those containing delta-8 and delta-10 THC. Now classified as Schedule I drugs under state law, possession is treated as a felony, carrying a punishment of 180 days to two years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.
A judge last month declined hemp companies’ request to impose a temporary restraining order on the THC crackdown while the overall litigation is considered.
The Texas Democratic Party pounced on Paxton’s inability to answer the cannabis question, saying in a press release that he appeared to be “in a panic” when being pressed about the “incredibly unpopular” THC ban before proceeding to “run away” from the questioner.
“Ken Paxton is a coward who runs from questions because he has no answers for his wildly unpopular positions,” Texas Democratic Party Spokesperson Ryan Martin said. “Paxton knows Texans hate this THC ban he has pushed onto people with his nanny-state agenda.”
The party’s press release also noted that podcaster Joe Rogan, who lives in and operates a comedy club in Austin, discussed the issue on an episode of his podcast that was posted on Thursday.
“They’ve done the THC thing,” he said. “Here’s what Texas doesn’t understand. You will fuck this place up and you will turn the whole thing blue.”
“Kids will turn on you if you tell them they can’t smoke weed,” Rogan said. “They know weed’s not killing anybody.”
Image element courtesy of AnonMoos.
