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The Texas Republican Party wrapped up its biennial convention on Saturday, after thousands of delegates voted on the party’s legislative priorities, as well as its latest platform – though several of its principles caused friction among some Republicans.
Despite that, party leaders say this year’s convention shows the party is ready to beat the Democrats, solidify the GOP (Gran Viejo Partido, in Spanish) majority in the state and help win back Congress. .
“In November, a red wave will sweep over Texas and this nation and a new era will begin,” Matt Rinaldi, chairman of the Texas Republican Party, told convention attendees.
Legislative Priorities
Rinaldi and other top GOP leaders stressed that the party must stand firm on policies that best represent its values.
“We cannot compromise with Democrats who have a different and incompatible vision for our future,” Rinaldi said. “We have to be a bold and unapologetic conservative party, ready to go on the offensive and win the fight for our country.”
On Saturday, delegates voted on what they think the party’s legislative priorities should be when Texas lawmakers reconvene in 2023.
On that list, the priority “Protect Our Elections” received the most support.
That item calls for limits on the distribution of mail-in ballots, for closed primaries to be established in the state, and for increased felony reinstatement for those who violate the election code. This comes after a controversial Republican-backed law went into effect last year that created new penalties around elections.
Another legislative priority is preventing the election of Democratic committee chairs in the Texas House of Representatives. The committees play an important role in analyzing legislation introduced by legislators and determining which bills move forward.
During last year’s Texas legislative session, House Speaker Dade Phelan named 14 Democrats as standing committee chairs.
Terri Hall, a delegate from San Antonio, accused Democratic committee chairs of “killing” Republican bills.
“Anyone who, like me, has been doing this for 20 years knows that’s the method they use to kill our priorities,” Hall said. “This should be in your top three priorities, folks.”
Other legislative priorities considered by the delegates were the defense of the right to arms and the abolition of abortion. The results on those topics will be announced later.
Division on Republican leaders
One of the most important moments of the convention was the strong reprimand that delegates gave to US Senator John Cornyn.
The longest-serving senator has represented congressional Republicans in a possible deal on gun control.
When Cornyn appeared on the convention’s main stage on Friday, he was greeted with loud boos and groanswhich continued during his speech.
Although the final proposal is still in the works, Cornyn said there were several options on the table: mental health resources, support for schools and ensuring that people with a mental health condition or a violent past do not have access to a firearm.
Yet to many, Cornyn sees these laws as making him a “RINO,” an acronym that means Republican only on paper.
“He talked a lot, and he talked good, and he proved to be a liar, too,” Jessica Steels, a College Station delegate, told The Texas Newsroom.
Another who was booed was Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Republican from Houston. According to Mediate, Crenshaw was followed by a group of Republicans who called him “(John) McCain with an eyepatch” and a “traitor.”
Crenshaw lost an eye during an improvised explosive device explosion in Afghanistan as part of his third combat deployment.
“This is what happens when angry little boys like @alexstein99 don’t grow up and can’t get girlfriends,” Crenshaw said in a tweet, referring to Alex Stein, a far-right provocateur, who booed him.
All of these differences have created some concerns among GOP politicians.
“We just had a very lively primary,” said Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. “But at the end of the day, we have to come together in November and we have to beat the Democrats.”
Donald Trump
One thing the Texas GOP convention made clear is that the party’s most active members still think highly of former President Donald Trump.
Many delegates wore hats and the slogan “Make America Great Again.”
Many of them also continue to believe that there was fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Jessica Steels said she hopes Trump will run again.
“I know he’s going to win again,” Steels said, “Is he perfect? No. Are any of us? No.”
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