Texas Republicans gather in Houston for 2026 state convention
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Delegates from across Texas gathered Thursday at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston for the 2026 Republican Party of Texas State Convention, sharing priorities from their communities and hearing calls for party unity from state leaders.
Delegates from McLennan County highlighted a range of concerns, including education, vaccines, water, and property taxes.
Brian Sumner, a McLennan County delegate, said:
"Uh, education, vaccines, water, a whole host of things, property taxes."
Fellow McLennan County delegate Mercedes Stovall also raised the party's Rule 44, which allows the Texas GOP to censure elected Republican officials who go against the party's top priorities.
Stovall said:
"So one is just education in our community and letting voters know what is out here and what's happening. One of the important things is property taxes, and another one is the Rule 44 that not a lot of people know or aware of."
Delegates from the Brazos Valley echoed concerns about property taxes and election integrity. Brazos County delegate Russ Ford said his county has been working to implement paper ballots.
Ford said:
"Property taxes and then election integrity are, are two things that we're very concerned about that we've worked with the county, uh, the last two times to try to get a paper ballot, uh, printed up for, for our thing and we haven't gotten it done yet, but we're working on it."
Grimes County delegate Marilyn Bettes also stressed the importance of voter participation.
Bettes said:
"Casting a ballot, so if, if there's a concern that I personally have, that's one of them is get out and vote."
State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst of District 18 said the message of the day from Republican leaders is party unity.
Kolkhorst said:
"One of the big things has got to be unity. You know anytime you have a primary, you know your person wins your person loses. You know we're coming together to unify and to make a platform."
The convention runs through Saturday. Coverage continues Friday, including remarks from Gov. Greg Abbott.
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