Lt. Gov. Nominees Patrick, Van de Putte to Debate

WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The state senators vying to be Texas' next lieutenant governor are squaring off in their only scheduled debate.

Republican Dan Patrick, a conservative radio talk show host and Houston tea party darling, is favored in November.

That means Democrat Leticia Van de Putte (PYOOT), a San Antonio pharmacist, has more to gain Monday night when the pair meet in Austin.

Van de Putte had requested five debates, but Patrick only agreed to one.

Van de Putte says she's a pro-business Democrat.

Patrick has pushed a hard-line immigration stance, calling for securing the Texas-Mexico border at all costs. As Senate Education Committee chairman, he pushed to cut the number of tests required for high school graduation from 15 to five last year.

Van de Putte, though, wants even less standardized testing.

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