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April 28, 2024
NEWS DIGEST
by Brandon Waltens
Good morning,
The Republican Party of Texas will soon be exploring ways to close their primary elections in an effort to stop Democrats from interfering in picking the party’s nominees.
Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi announced the creation of a new working group ahead of the party’s convention next month to explore both “legislative and extra-legislative avenues” for the party to close the primary elections, as the legislature has repeatedly failed to do so.
While establishing closed primaries—in which voters may only vote in the primary elections for the party they are affiliated with—has been a legislative priority of the Republican Party of Texas, the state instead operates an open primary system.
Voters of any party can choose which party’s primary they would like to vote in, although they may not vote in both in the same year. In some districts, that means Democrats voting in Republican primary elections in safely red districts to elect more moderate candidates.
Nearly 73 percent of Republican voters approved a ballot proposition in support of closed primaries during the primary election last month.
New attention was placed on the issue this year after an internal memo from then-presidential hopeful Nikki Haley’s campaign revealed that Democrat support in open primary states like Texas could boost her chances.
In races like House District 21, where Speaker Dade Phelan is fighting for his seat in a runoff election, 9 percent of voters had a history of previously voting in Democrat primaries.
“Republican voters have the right to choose the candidates who will represent them in general elections. We look forward to ending Democrat interference in the Republican primary and giving Republican voters a stronger voice in their own party moving forward,” said Rinaldi.
The Closed Primary Working Group will be chaired by former State Republican Executive Committeeman Mark Ramsey and will also consist of current SREC Members Matt Patrick and Jim Pikl, Republican Party of Texas General Counsel Rachel Hooper, and former RNC Committeeman and Texas Home School Coalition President Tim Lambert.
The Texas GOP Convention will take place in San Antonio May 23-25.
Featured
The anti-Israel protests that have captured college campuses nationwide have come to Texas, with hundreds of students marching and gathering at the University of Texas at Austin in support of Palestine.
The protests, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, saw students reciting anti-Israel chants such as “Free Palestine” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”—a call for the end of Israel as a nation.
Such demonstrations have heated up in recent months following the October 7 surprise attack by Hamas against Israeli civilians, killing more than 1,200 people.
State
What Will Texas Do to Protect Female Students From Biden’s Title IX Rewrite?
Texas lawmakers are calling for action to protect girls.
Texas Democrats Lose Latest Attempt to Force Universal Voting By Mail
The U.S. Supreme Court denied Democrats’ request to hear arguments against the state’s age limit for using mail-in ballots.
Dr. Mary Talley Bowden V. Texas Medical Board Showdown
The protracted fight over medical freedom has been costly to Bowden.
Local
Conroe ISD Keeps Gender Confusion Book on Shelves
The book “Lily and Dunkin” contains an online resource where adults can talk with minors about how to change genders.
Austin Councilmembers Consider Making City a Sanctuary for Child Gender Mutilation
The resolution will be up for consideration at the May 2 city council meeting.
Travis County DA Could Be Removed Under New State Law
José Garza has made headlines for vowing not to prosecute illegal abortions and for not prosecuting certain drug-related cases.
HUBRIS: The Texas Kingmakers
They have been called the state’s kingmakers. They are the biggest political force in Texas. Yet, most Texans have no idea who they are, what they want, or even that they exist.
They protect the practice of giving committee chairmanships to Democrats in the GOP-dominated Texas House. They were behind the push to get rid of the Attorney General of Texas. They have quietly weakened pro-life laws and undermined reforms designed to protect children from abuse.
Hubris: the Texas Kingmakers reveals who Texans for Lawsuit Reform really is, and how they're impacting the Lone Star State.
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