Texas Election: A Radio Rivalry Ends

Leslie Marshall said she quit her radio job in 1992 to avoid being fired for being a liberal.

Marshall, now a nationally syndicated host and progressive commentator, took to X on November 4, 2026, to reflect on that decade-old clash. She recounted a meeting with Dan Patrick at KPRC-AM in Houston. At the time, Patrick was set to become the program director after his company acquired the station. He told her in his office that he intended to dismiss her because of her liberal politics. Marshall stated that she resigned before he could carry out the threat. She added that she is glad the people of Texas have now dismissed him from office.

Her comments followed Tuesday's election, where Democratic state Rep. Vikki Goodwin defeated Patrick. Goodwin won nearly 52 percent of the vote against Patrick's roughly 46 percent. Patrick conceded the race early Wednesday. Goodwin is the first Democrat elected to the Texas lieutenant governor's seat since 1994. Patrick had held the position as a three-term incumbent.

The alleged confrontation occurred during Patrick's early career in Houston broadcasting. He first gained fame as a sportscaster at KHOU-TV, where he started working in 1979. He moved into conservative talk radio and took over KSEV-AM in 1988. In October 1992, his broadcasting company, Sunbelt Broadcasting, agreed to a $3.5 million deal to buy KPRC-AM from the Hobby family. The Hobby family had owned the station since 1925. The sale was finalized in 1993. Marshall was hosting a midday talk show at KPRC when the acquisition was pending.

Marshall's career continued to grow after her time in Houston. She replaced Tom Snyder on the ABC Satellite Radio Network in 1992. Her syndicated program aired on more than 200 stations. She later moved to major radio markets in Chicago, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles. Since 2001, she has appeared as a political commentator on national television, including on FOX News, CNN, and CNBC.

Patrick entered politics after his radio career ended. He won a Houston-area seat in the Texas Senate in 2006. He was first elected lieutenant governor in 2014 and took office in January 2015. His office has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding Marshall's post.