Texas Democrats Endorse James Dickey for Re-election as Texas Republican Party Chair

July 17, 2020 - Statewide

By Jade Esteban Estrada - Political Columnist, San Antonio Sentinel

As the Texas Republican Convention got off to a rocky start because of both technical glitches and much infighting, Texas Democrats announced Thursday their endorsement of James Dickey for re-election as chair of the Republican Party of Texas.

You read that correctly.

In an official press release, the Texas Democratic Party explained how, under Dickey’s leadership, "the Republican Party of Texas is in complete turmoil - fighting amongst themselves on who to blame for their failed response to the coronavirus pandemic, battling until the bitter end to hold an in-person convention in the biggest coronavirus hotspot in the country, and dealing with ethics and transparency issues that continue to dog the party."

To be fair, Dickey has been doing everything politically possible to simultaneously save face before a rather unforgiving online audience, follow protocol, and hold a convention that will rally Texas Republicans ahead of the November election. Adding to the list of challenges has been the task of generally downplaying the risk of Covid-19 transmission, a narrative that has come directly from the White House.

On Monday night, the RTP switched to Plan B and moved forward with a virtual convention after courts refused to force Houston to let the party hold a large indoor gathering. 

Still basking in the afterglow of their first-ever virtual state convention, one that went so smoothly, it will likely be used as a model for the 2020 Democratic National Convention, TDP leaders had no qualms about poking fun at the opposition during a vulnerable time.

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“Texas Democrats everywhere proudly endorse James Dickey for re-election as Republican Party of Texas chair," said TDP Communications Director Abhi Rahman. "Under Dickey, Republicans lost two congressional districts, the most Texas House seats in generations, and dozens of races across Texas, including in Harris, Fort Bend, and Nueces counties. With that record of leadership, we hope he stays as chair of the Republican Party through November and beyond."

Dickey was elected in 2017. Since then, Texas Democrats actually have gained two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, two seats in the Texas Senate, a dozen seats in the Texas House, and several local seats across the state. If the Lone Star State turns blue this year, Rahman sees Dickey’s leadership as a contributing factor. 

Ahead of the most important weekend for Texas Republican leaders, Texas Democrats have only one thing to say: James Dickey for Republican Party of Texas chair.

“As the Republican Party falters, Texas moves forward," Rahman said.

Jade Esteban Estrada is a political columnist at the San Antonio Sentinel. He can be reached at jade@sasentinel.com.