I know, I know, I’m thinking wishfully. But still.
As the Republican Party of Texas Convention began last week, signs of unity appeared everywhere. But by the end of the three-day biennial gathering, it was not clear how strong that harmony would remain.
Thousands of delegates saw it on the walls of the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston, where digital posters for the governor professed that “unity drives victory.” They heard the same message in speech after speech, when every speaker encouraged them to put aside differences after a brutal primary season and band together to defeat “radical” Democrats in the fall’s midterm elections.
“Sometimes in primaries, the differences feel massive,” U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who will be the state’s senior senator, told delegates. “Until you look to November and see the differences with the other side, there are very real differences on the ballot.”
Speaking at the conference for the first time since 2018, Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to demolish Democrats — but urged those gathered to stick together to accomplish the task. His once-foe former state Sen. Don Huffines, the GOP nominee for comptroller of public accounts, said he endorsed all Republicans on the ticket and told the same crowd that they had to “crush the atheists and the leftists.”
However, the unity showed signs of fracturing throughout the week.
Delegates ousted their party chair, shaking up the top of the Texas GOP months before a crucial election. They booed the first sitting Texas House leader to address the convention, even after he oversaw Republicans claim a wish list of socially conservative victories in the Legislature. Some lamented what they described as poor attendance at the convention, despite a slate of top elected officials on the schedule. Meanwhile, it became apparent that some age-old fights, like disagreements over tort reform, remain far from settled.
At risk is the unity that, according to party leaders and elected officials, will be imperative to ensuring Texas remains ruby red as the party braces for a bruising midterm cycle in which Democrats hope to claim a statewide victory for the first time since 1994. But some of the same GOP leaders professing unity did not always practice it during the convention.
In his Friday speech, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick suggested that U.S. Sen. John Cornyn was a “sore loser” after being defeated in his primary runoff by Attorney General Ken Paxton. He chastised Cornyn for making “bad comments” after the May 26 race and not backing Paxton.
“Patrick is worried about losing in November,” Cornyn said Saturday. “He should be.”
I’m not going to offer any analysis of this. It won’t have any value, I’m too emotionally invested to have any distance on the subject. What I will give you is this:
The video, via NYT reporter Lauren McGaughy.
— Robert Downen (@robertdownen.bsky.social) June 12, 2026 at 3:13 PM
Some things just speak for themselves. Here are a few tweets to pile on:
An audience member chides John Cornyn to Dan Patrick about party unity, Patrick says: “He ain’t helping either, and neither is our Ag Commissioner. He’s campaigning with the Democrat.”
— Brad Johnson (@bradj_TX) 3:08 PM – 12 June 2026
From a health standpoint, I’ve only seen Patrick look worse once before in 25 years of knowing him. And a jacket &.turtleneck in June in Texas makes you wonder if he’s having issues regulating his temperature.
— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) 10:23 PM – 12 June 2026
Well there it is. Very loud boos for Texas House Speaker @Burrows4TX as he comes out to give his speech to the @texasgop convention.
This is only the second time a sitting House speaker has taken this stage. #txlege
— Lauren McGaughy (@mcgaughy) 3:41 PM – 12 June 2026
Patrick is worried about losing in November. He should be.
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) 10:18 AM – 13 June 2026
So there you have it. I may not know much, but I know bad vibes when I see them. The Chron has more.
Lone Star Left says Dan Patrick looks like a “community theater villain”. Hilarious! A lame show, poorly attended.
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/the-republican-party-of-texas-pissing