Good morning, 

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Brandon Waltens

Tuesday, June 8, 2021
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• In case you missed it over the weekend, Texas GOP Chairman Allen West has submitted his resignation as head of the state party, effective July 11.
   

• West was elected as chairman in July 2020. His resignation is giving more fuel to rumors he could be scouting a potential campaign for governor.
   

• A replacement chair of the Republican Party of Texas will be selected by members of the State Republican Executive Committee on July 11. That person would hold the role until the next RPT Convention in 2022.
   

• Former State Rep. Matt Rinaldi was the first to throw his hat into the ring to replace West after his resignation announcement, saying he's “willing to stand strong for the party and ensure that grassroots don’t lose their voice in the political process.” He is joined in the race by David Covey, who is a member of the SREC, the chairman of the Orange County Republican Party, and President of the Texas Republican County Chairmens’ Association.

• The fallout from George P. Bush’s decision to run for attorney general continues to unfold as candidates begin to enter the race to replace his current post as land commissioner.
   

• Last week, Bush announced his intention to challenge current Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican primary, creating an upcoming vacancy for the head of the General Land Office.
   

• Now State Sen. Dawn Buckingham (R–Lakeway) says she is aiming for the position, announcing the start of her campaign with more than $2,000,000.

• Buckingham, an ophthalmologist, first entered the Texas Senate in 2017. Her departure for this statewide campaign will have the domino effect of creating an open race for the Senate seat she currently holds. So far, Buckingham is joined in the race by Bexar County activist Weston Martinez

• Conservative activists working towards big victories in 2022 just received a big boost over the weekend. David Vasquez reports Javier Villalobos, a former chair of Hidalgo County GOP, won the McAllen mayoral runoff on June 5 with 51% of the vote. Though the race is nonpartisan, Republicans see it as a potential sign of victories to come in future elections. 

• The tenants of critical race theory and cultural Marxism is starting to creep into the Texas State Guard. Andy Hopper writes in a commentary about how the left-wing agenda has infiltrated the state military.
   
• "Ultimately, what I witnessed on May 22 was a case of leadership boldly weaponizing the chain of command to indoctrinate a left-wing political agenda of cultural Marxism, critical race theory, and moral relativism upon military forces of the State of Texas." –Andy Hopper

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