Mike Collier
Democratic Candidate for Lieutenant Governor
Collier/Photo by Campaign
Question: What is your age?
Answer: 60
Q: What is your educational background? Please list any degrees or certificates earned and any institutions attended.
A: BBA in Petroleum Land Management
MBA in Finance
Q: What is your occupation?
A: Auditor and Certified Public Accountant
Q: If you are a business owner, please list the business or businesses that you own. (If this question is not applicable, please note that below.)
A: Collier Analytics
Q: Please list any civic boards or commissions (non-profit, government, union, political, etc.) on which you have served as a board member or equivalent.
A: n/a
Q: Have you previously held or do you currently hold any elected office? If so, what office(s)?
A: No
Q: If your campaign has any online campaign resources where voters can learn more about you, such as social media accounts or a website, please list them below.
Q: Why did you decide to run for this office in 2022?
A: The Lt. Governor is the best position to provide substantive, real leadership on the challenges facing this state. Though an immensely powerful position, it requires the officeholder to work collaboratively with Senators from all across the state to deliver for the people of Texas.
But also, I grew up in Texas, went to school in Texas, met the love of my life in Texas, and have raised two sons in Texas. I'm running for Lt. Governor to give back to a state that has given me so much over my life.
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities in office?
A: As Lt. Governor, I will ensure that the State Senate is focused on delivering for Texas families with honesty and expertise. The challenges facing our state are many, but I will be focused on fixing the grid, property taxes, and fully funding our public schools.
No room in Texas is more important than the classroom, and as such, there is no greater responsibility assigned to the state government than public education. Public schools are at the heart of our communities and hold the key to the future of our state. Education is why I first got involved in politics, and though there are many challenges facing Texas, public education will always remain a major priority for me.
Q: What is an issue you believe has gone overlooked in your race and how will you address it if elected?
A: For too long, our state leaders have neglected our water infrastructure. One need only look to the Ogallala Aquifer that is rapidly being depleted, posing a major threat to the lives and livelihoods of Texans across the Panhandle. Wheat, cotton, and cattle—industries that built Texas—all rely on water from the aquifer to survive, but in recent years, prolonged droughts have left the water table dangerously low.
In my view, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. And under Dan Patrick, we do not have adequate water resource planning to prepare for the future and protect our state's ranching and farming communities. The rise in water prices and prolonged droughts pose a particular threat to small, family farmers and ranchers that are already under immense pressure from rising prices. As Lt. Governor, I will prioritize a statewide plan to address our water crisis in order to protect farmers and ranchers in the Panhandle and across Texas.
Q: Why are you the best candidate for voters to support for this position?
A: For eight years, Dan Patrick has shown us that he has no interest in solving the very real problems facing our state. His lack of leadership is not only reckless but the past four years have proven that it is dangerous. As a business leader, I have spent the past three decades bringing people together to solve complex problems. I will work alongside county judges, school boards, and city councils—not against them—to ensure that our state is the best place in the nation to raise a family and to do business. That is what I have done for years as a businessman and what I will do as Lt. Governor.