Tag Archives: Republican Party

New SOS will also oppose the closed primaries lawsuit

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Appropriate. Robert Howden, the new Texas secretary of state, said in a legal filing Monday that he would continue to defend the state’s open primary system, putting him at odds with the Texas GOP in the lawsuit filed by the party last … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on New SOS will also oppose the closed primaries lawsuit

New SOS appointed

Posted on July 18, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

He’s some guy. Robert Howden, a senior adviser to Gov. Greg Abbott, will be Texas’ interim secretary of state, Abbott announced Friday. Howden is a longtime Texas politico who worked for GOP governors going back to Bill Clements, serving as … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on New SOS appointed

Abbott names Schatzline as senior adviser on election policy

Posted on July 4, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever the hell that means. State Rep. Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, resigned from the Texas House Thursday to take a new position as Gov. Greg Abbott’s senior adviser on election policy. Schatzline, who was among the most hardline conservative members … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Abbott names Schatzline as senior adviser on election policy

The unhappy Republicans

Posted on June 19, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Going to keep thinking about them. Former Southlake Mayor John Huffman is struggling to see a place for himself in a Republican Party that put Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on the November ballot for U.S. Senate. The embattled attorney … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Not how you build a big tent

Posted on June 17, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, if they want a smaller tent, who am I to stop them? To some extent, Mohamed Hussein knew he was preparing to enter the lion’s den. But he made the decision to attend the Republican Party of Texas Convention … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The vibes at the state GOP convention sure seemed rancid

Posted on June 15, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A few followup items from Tuesday

Posted on March 5, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This is officially my favorite story from the primaries. Texas congressional candidate Vince Shlomi, known as the “ShamWow guy,” is suing the Republican Party of Texas, accusing it of “rigging” the primary after he says the party removed his nickname from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Eastland County hand-counting situation

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The other one to keep an eye on. Eastland County Republicans voted last fall to ditch electronic voting equipment and instead hand count all of their primary ballots. They’ll be using paper poll books to check in voters, and expect … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The best-laid plans to hand-count ballots often go awry

Posted on February 23, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, Gillespie County. You rascals, you. Gillespie County Republicans have scrapped plans to hand count all of their 2026 primary ballots after failing to recruit enough workers — at least for early voting. The lack of manpower prompted party officials … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dallas and Williamson forced to abandon voting centers for Primary Day

Posted on January 10, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. In an about-face, Dallas County Republicans last week decided against hand-counting ballots in Texas’ March primary, saying they weren’t able to line up enough workers, among other hurdles. That leaves just two … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dallas and Williamson forced to abandon voting centers for Primary Day

Dallas County Republicans abandon hand count plan

Posted on January 3, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Some unexpected sanity. After months of laying the groundwork to hand-count thousands of ballots in the March 3 primary, the Dallas County Republican Party announced on Tuesday it has decided not to do so, opting instead to contract with the county elections … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dallas County Republicans abandon hand count plan

Some resistance to the push for closed primaries

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest: Last week, during a tour driving across parts of rural West Texas, I had a phone call with Nick Troiano, the executive director of Unite America. We talked about the Republican Party of Texas’s lawsuit to close the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Dallas County GOP’s hand-counting debacle

Posted on December 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is going to be a disaster. Dallas County Republicans say they’re planning to go ahead with hand-counting tens of thousands of Election Day ballots cast in the upcoming March 3 primary after raising more than $400,000 towards the effort. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

SOS responds to “closed primary” lawsuit

Posted on November 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Nicely done. Texas’ top election official is opposing a GOP lawsuit that seeks to close the state’s primaries, arguing in new legal filings that a decision to restrict voting to registered party members should be up to lawmakers, not the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Three ridiculous voting and election stories

Posted on October 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“Silly season” doesn’t begin to cover this stuff. Item 1: Paxton sides with Texas GOP, against secretary of state in lawsuit seeking to close primaries Last month, the Republican Party of Texas sued over a state law that allows anyone … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026, Legal matters, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Wesley Hunt says he’s running for Senate

Posted on October 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Sure, why not? Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Houston, entered the Republican primary for U.S. Senate on Monday, complicating an already contentious race between two of the biggest names in Texas Republican politics. Hunt, a close ally of President Donald Trump, has laid the groundwork for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

State GOP sues to force closed primaries

Posted on September 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I have no idea how this might work. The Republican Party of Texas filed a lawsuit against Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson on Thursday in a bid to restrict participation in the GOP’s primary elections to only voters registered … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Republicans prepare to eat their own

Posted on August 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Sometimes all you can do is stare in bug-eyed amazement. The executive committee of the Republican Party of Texas was in Austin on Saturday to finalize its first-ever legislative review, outlining a list of censurable offenses that some within the … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On pursuing rural voters

Posted on July 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is an op-ed written by former State Rep. Glenn Rogers, who was targeted and ousted by Greg Abbott in the 2024 primaries because he was anti-voucher. He has not taken that defeat lying down. Our great state is experiencing … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on On pursuing rural voters

Allred 2.0 launches

Posted on July 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

He’s back. Democrat Colin Allred launched his campaign for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, making a second run at the upper chamber after failing to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz last year. “Texans are working harder than ever, not getting as … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

We need a better class of wingnut billionaire overlords

Posted on May 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I read this story about the latest dude in politics with more money than sense and I just shake my head. In mid-September, Alex Fairly accepted an invitation to spend the day with one of the state’s richest and most … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Paxton officially running against Cornyn

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The campaign no one asked for. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday he will challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in next year’s midterm elections, setting up a barnburner clash of two Republican titans that is poised to reverberate across … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Allred considering 2026 Senate run

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. On a night when he urged a group of erstwhile Republicans to stay in the fight, former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred said he’s “seriously considering” a 2026 Senate campaign against incumbent John Cornyn, or the winner of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

One of the judges Ken Paxton helped elect wants to reform judicial campaign finances

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And I support him! Honestly, I’m as surprised as you are. David Schenk, the new presiding judge on Texas’ Court of Criminal Appeals, is on a mission to make sweeping changes to the rules governing judicial elections in the Lone … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

TEC drops ethics complaint against state GOP Chair

Posted on January 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Boy that was fast. The Texas Ethics Commission has dismissed a complaint against the state Republican Party Chair alleging that he illegally threatened and intimidated lawmakers over their support for a House speaker candidate, according to the state House Member … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on TEC drops ethics complaint against state GOP Chair

Republican State Rep accuses state GOP Chair of ethics violations

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, my. A Republican Texas House member is calling for the state party chair to be investigated, alleging that he illegally threatened and intimidated lawmakers who are not supporting the party’s preferred candidate for House speaker. In a complaint filed to the … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

HCDP opposes the HISD bond

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have no idea where they’re going to get the votes for this thing. Both the Harris County Democratic and Republican Party executive committees have unanimously voted in favor of resolutions opposing the largest school bond in state history, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Is the Texas Republican Party actually worried?

Posted on September 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I hope so. The Republican Party of Texas has vowed a “major investment” in South Texas legislative races amid ongoing criticism from county-level leaders over its fundraising and voter outreach efforts. On Monday, the party announced a commitment to knock … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Brace yourselves for the 2028 RNC in Houston

Posted on July 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder, this is looming in our future. Houston isn’t taking any chances. As host of the next Republican National Convention in 2028, the city has dispatched teams to Milwaukee this week to get a handle on how to … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Meanwhile, in Gillespie County…

Posted on May 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Bless their hearts. The hand count of thousands of Republican primary election ballots in Gillespie County is on track to cost taxpayers more than double the wage costs of the 2020 Republican primary, according to records obtained by Votebeat. Public … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

May 2024 special election early voting, Day One: Why are we doing this again?

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Landing has another look at the HCAD elections and just how weird this all is. The county Democratic and Republican parties have endorsed and are campaigning for candidates in each of the three races. Accusations of nefarious intentions … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on May 2024 special election early voting, Day One: Why are we doing this again?

RNC scales down Hispanic outreach efforts

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. A Hispanic outreach center that the National Republican Committee opened on San Antonio’s Southeast Side in 2021 is among numerous minority outreach offices across the country that have been shuttered for the 2024 election cycle. Democrats say … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on RNC scales down Hispanic outreach efforts

Gillespie County hand count riddled with errors

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Oopsie. An hour after Gillespie County Republican Party Chairman Bruce Campbell declared the hand-counted primary election results completely accurate and certified them as final, he found another discrepancy. “It’s my mistake for not catching that,” he said, sitting in front … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Paxton’s revenge against the CCA

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. The three incumbents running for their seats on Texas’ highest criminal courtwere not well known political figures outside of the legal community. That was until they earned the ire of Attorney General … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments