GOP Strategist Matt Mackowiak Says Dan Patrick Will Not Turn Texas Purple [AUDIO]

On the Monday edition of The Chad Hasty Show, Matt Mackowiak, GOP strategist and co-founder of MustReadTexas.com, talked with Chad Hasty about the latest state and national news.

Following last week's runoff elections, the left almost immediately started claiming that Texas would turn purple. Some on the left, such as Texas Monthly's Paul Burka, specifically targeted Lieutenant Governor candidate Dan Patrick as the major culprit that would turn the state into a swing state.

Mackowiak disagreed, saying that there has been no evidence of Patrick being as liberal as people are saying, and that he is, in fact, much more conservative than the former Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst. Mackowiak also said Patrick was much better at firing up the base and getting people excited about the elections that Dewhurst, a trait that will be very important in the upcoming midterm elections.

"Dan Patrick's gotten elected to a state senate district in northwest Houston that's one of the fastest growing areas of Texas, he's been chairman of the education committee, and he really outpaced three, I think, strong candidates in the Lieutenant Governor primary. Is he more conservative than Dewhurst? I think so. Is he more conservative than Texas? I don't necessarily think so. I do think that the one thing the Democrats are not taking into account is that Patrick has an ability to fire up the base and to create enthusiasm in a way that Dewhurst did not."

Mackowiak also noted that the Democrats have had difficulty raising campaign money in Texas, as well as creating enthusiasm for the Democratic party in Texas. However, he added that these midterm races may still not be blowout victories for the Republican party. He predicts the margin of victory will be much closer, especially for the Railroad Commissioner and Comptroller's races.

Matt Mackowiak appears every Monday at 9:35 during The Chad Hasty Show. You can also follow Mackowiak on Twitter: @MattMackowiak.

Listen to the complete interview with Mackowiak here: