Leslie Marshall Celebrates Dan Patrick's Loss in Texas Lt. Gov. Race
The former KPRC host, who says Patrick threatened to fire her in 1992 for her political views, posted that Texans have finally voted him out.
By Grace Almasi ·
Leslie Marshall, a nationally syndicated radio host, posted on social media that the people of Texas fired Dan Patrick after his defeat in the lieutenant governor's race. Her comment referenced a 1992 incident at a Houston radio station where she alleges the current incumbent told her he would fire her for being a liberal. Marshall, who is a progressive political commentator and contributor to FOX News, noted that she quit her position before the termination could take place.
Marshall’s statement came after Democratic state Rep. Vikki Goodwin defeated Patrick, a three-term Republican incumbent, in Tuesday's election. Goodwin captured nearly 52 percent of the vote, while Patrick received roughly 46 percent. This result makes Goodwin the first Democrat elected to the Texas lieutenant governor's office since 1994. Patrick conceded the race early Wednesday morning.
The alleged confrontation occurred when Patrick was preparing to take over KPRC-AM. At the time, Marshall was hosting a midday talk show at the station. Patrick's broadcasting company, Sunbelt Broadcasting, had reached a $3.5 million deal to acquire KPRC-AM from the Hobby family in October 1992. The sale was completed in 1993. Marshall recalled that Patrick, who was set to become the program director, called her into his office to deliver the news of her firing based on her political leanings.
Patrick built his career in Houston media before entering politics. He began working as a sportscaster at KHOU-TV in 1979. He moved into conservative talk radio in 1988 when he took over KSEV-AM. After leaving broadcasting, Patrick won a Texas Senate seat for a Houston area district in 2006. He was first elected lieutenant governor in 2014 and began serving in that role in January 2015.
Marshall’s career expanded beyond Houston following the KPRC incident. She replaced Tom Snyder on the ABC Satellite Radio Network in 1992, hosting a program that aired on more than 200 stations. She later worked in major radio markets including Chicago, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles. Since 2001, she has appeared as a political commentator on national television networks such as FOX News, CNN, and CNBC.
Patrick’s office has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding Marshall’s remarks. The election result ends Patrick’s tenure as lieutenant governor, a position he held for twelve years. Goodwin will assume office following the standard transition period. The race was viewed as a key indicator of voter sentiment in the state before the upcoming general election cycle.
Marshall’s post has drawn attention to the long history between the two figures. Their paths crossed in the Houston media market in the early 1990s, a period when local radio was a primary source of political opinion for many voters. The defeat marks a shift in the state's executive branch leadership, with Goodwin set to succeed Patrick in the next cabinet position below the governor.
