With Texas’ hardline conservative megadonors largely staying on the sidelines, a handful of House primaries have become battlegrounds for the state’s civil justice debate.
Facing state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, Marcos Vélez has landed the Texas AFL-CIO’s endorsement and support from a donor trail that leads back to the state party’s top campaign partner.
The most expensive state House primaries this cycle were proxy wars over issues including casinos, tort reform and a lingering battle between establishment Republicans and more hardline conservatives.
In 2012, the New York Times interviewed Brad Bailey at the Republican National Convention about his efforts to get the party “stop the hatred language and fix the problem.”
The lieutenant governor’s office is one of the most powerful in Texas government, and the 2026 race features a Democratic runoff between Vikki Goodwin and Marcos Velez.
Gov. Greg Abbott is a top sponsor and Speaker Dustin Burrows will be the first sitting speaker to address the gathering, as Republicans close ranks ahead of a tough midterm.
The governor sought to tie the minority party, and its U.S. Senate nominee, James Talarico, to “Bernie Sanders socialism” in a fresh look at his message for the fall midterms.
Muslim delegates and attendees hoping to participate in the state Republican convention were shunned and rejected by members as they espoused themes of party unity ahead of the November election.
Calling into Gov. Greg Abbott's guest-hosted Hannity radio show, the Republican senator said Talarico is “charming” enough to win over voters “who may not be paying close attention to the issues.”
