If Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst thinks her record does not appeal to Texas voters, he doesn’t understand how the Senate actually works, state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte said Thurdsay.

“He’s been lieutenant governor for 10 years and he doesn’t know a senator’s record?” she said in an interview.

A Democrat who will face the winner of the March Republican primary where Dewhurst faces three opponents, Van de Putte was responding to criticism Dewhurst made at a morning TribLive event. In an interview with The Texas Tribune, Dewhurst said that while Van de Putte would be a “tough opponent” in the fall, he did not believe she could win an election against him because her views were not aligned with the majority of Texas voters.

Van de Putte said that during her more than decade-long tenure in the state Senate, she has become known particularly for her bipartisan work on veterans issues and for her involvement with education policy and efforts to end human trafficking. 

“I dont know where David Dewhurst has been, but the majority of work I have done has been for the military, and for veterans,” she said. “And I think mainstream Texans are very appreciative of that.” 

Texas Tribune donors or members may be quoted or mentioned in our stories, or may be the subject of them. For a complete list of contributors, click here.

 Learn about The Texas Tribune’s policies, including our partnership with The Trust Project to increase transparency in news.