Texas GOP leaders call for unity to ‘demolish’ Democrats 

HOUSTON (CN) — Top leaders in the state of Texas took the stage on Friday at the Texas GOP’s biennial convention to lay out their vision for the state in the years to come and warn of possible statewide loss if intraparty fights are not set aside.

Coming on the heels of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s runoff win over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a contentious Senate primary race, the leading message at this year’s convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Downtown Houston is for the party to come together now, or face an end to its 30-year-long statewide winning streak.

Mudslinging in the Senate race created division within the Texas GOP, a divide that leaders in the state sought to mend during the three-day convention.

Governor Greg Abbott, who is currently running for his own reelection, spoke to his fellow Republicans Friday, working to focus their anger toward Democrats, namely, State Representative James Talarico, whom Paxton will face in November.

He mockingly referred to Talarico as “six gender Jimmy,” a reference to a past legislative debate in which Talarico acknowledged there are six genders. Talarico has since distanced himself from those comments, calling them “cringy.”

Abbott told the delegates that if Republicans unite and turn out in November, they will be unbeatable.

“That unity is going to drive victory this November and no one does a better job than you all of turning out that vote,” Abbott said. “Together, we are going to demolish the Democrats.”

Despite the state being a Republican stronghold, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who is also up for reelection, warned his fellow party members that disunity could lead to the state flipping and, with it, the potential loss of the U.S. House and Senate for Republicans.

“I am giving you a warning today: the Democrats are coming,” Patrick said before playing one of his own campaign ads featuring an artificially generated video of Paul Revere spreading word of a British attack.

In addition to Abbott and Patrick, House Speaker Dustin Burrows also gave remarks on the theme of unity.

Paxton, during his address, told the delegates that he would work to earn their support, no matter who they voted for during the primary. While on stage, he also levied a string of attacks on Talarico, calling him a threat to all that Texans hold dear and himself the last line of defense for the state.

“If we lose Texas, we lose America,” Paxton said.

Shortly after getting her picture with Paxton earlier in the day, delegate Karen Calderon-Schweitzer told Courthouse News that she believed the party is more energized behind Paxton than it would have been with Cornyn at the top of the ticket.

“Cornyn has been in office for so many years," Calderon-Schweitzer said. “When you look at his record, what is the value in having someone there who is not making a difference for the Republican Party?”

Calderon-Schweitzer, who also serves as vice-chair for the Llano County Republican Party, said that the legal issues Paxton has faced in the past and troubles with his personal life — such as his wife, State Senator Angela Paxton, filing for divorce citing adultery — should not distract voters from his record as a staunch ally of President Donald Trump and fierce advocate of the party’s conservative agenda.

In 2024, Paxton reached a deal to settle a securities fraud indictment, agreeing to pay $200,000 in restitution, work 100 hours of community service in his home county and take 15 hours of legal ethics training.

Following his impeachment in the Texas House over accusations of accepting bribes in exchange for helping a political donor who was being investigated by federal agents, Paxton was acquitted of all charges by the Texas Senate.

“At the end of the day, we are not electing a pastor,” Calderon-Schweitzer said. “We are electing someone who will fight and will not be afraid to represent us.”

In addition to rallying ahead of the midterm elections, convention goers also elected leaders to the state party and set priorities for the Texas Legislature’s upcoming session beginning in January.

During his speech, Abbott set regulating data centers, reforming property taxes and taking steps to restrict Muslim communities from adopting codes in accordance with Sharia Law as just a few of his priorities for the session.

Festivities at the convention are set to continue into Saturday with presentations focusing on artificial intelligence and the “Islamization of Texas,” culminating in a speech by Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

Texas Democrats are set to hold their convention on June 25 in Corpus Christi, Texas. While there, party officials, delegates and voters from across the state are expected to hear from candidates looking to energize supporters to work toward their long-held yet elusive goal of breaking Republicans’ hold on the state’s politics.

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