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When we read the news that Republican Party of Texas Chair Matt Rinaldi would step down, we were hit with a little spark of hope. This is, after all, one of the men who presided over the transformation of the state GOP from a normal, if deeply conservative, political party into a conspiracy-embracing, corruption-supporting mess that has mutated the meaning of conservatism in Texas.
Our hope lasted about a millisecond when we remembered that this is the Republican Party of Texas. Whenever we think it can’t get worse, it usually does.
Look at the track record. Rinaldi, a flamethrower in the Texas House who lost his Dallas County seat in 2019, succeeded former Florida Congressman Allen West as state GOP chair. Once a tea party agitator, West regularly made headlines for incendiary comments that flirted with the far-right QAnon cult and the Texas secessionist movement.
(By the way, if you’re a Dallas County Republican who didn’t vote in the primary, we regret to inform you that West is your new county party chair.)
While West tried to use the state GOP to vault himself to the governor’s mansion, Rinaldi has brandished the party as a weapon on behalf of the billionaires bankrolling the far-right movement in Texas. Instead of buoying its members, the party apparatus attacks conservative lawmakers who ran afoul of Attorney General Ken Paxton or otherwise failed to fall in lockstep with every hard-line position of West Texas oilmen Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks.
Rinaldi should go down in infamy for his ties to Texas GOP activists who met with Nazi sympathizer Nick Fuentes in the fall. The Texas Tribune observed Rinaldi leaving the building where the meeting took place. Rinaldi denied participating in that meeting and condemned Fuentes, but we can’t take him seriously when he dismissed as unnecessary an attempt by his party to pass a ban on associating with antisemites. The ban eventually passed in spite of Rinaldi.
Running to replace him is former Collin County GOP party chair Abraham George, a Paxton defender. The Texas Tribune reported Monday that police responded to his home last year based on a call that an armed George was going to confront a man he thought was having an affair with his wife. Also running is state GOP Vice Chair Dana Myers, who voted in favor of the ban on associating with known neo-Nazis. She’s got at least that going for her, though the party has set the bar so low you have to dig to find it.
As Paxton hints that he may take on U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in 2026, we can’t reconcile how it is that we’re talking about the same party. How can a Texas GOP that gave us a principled and competent leader like Cornyn elevate an unscrupulous and inept attorney general like Paxton to be its standard bearer?
We think this helps explain why Republican turnout in the Texas primary was only 12.6%, as our colleague Gromer Jeffers Jr. reported. Traditional conservatives in Texas are losing heart. The party that once courted them and lifted them up has kicked them out of the house.
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President Trump is not ready to weigh in on the Republican Senate primary in Texas as early voting gets underway across the state.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One late Monday that the GOP race had “a ways to go,” and signaled he was not yet ready to throw his support behind incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) or challengers Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas).
“I just haven’t made a decision on that race yet. It’s got a ways to go, and I haven’t,” Trump said when asked about his potential endorsement plans.
“I like all three of them, actually. Those are the toughest races. They’ve all supported me. They’re all good. You’re supposed to pick one, so we’ll see what happens. But I support all three,” the president added.
Trump indicated earlier this month that he was “taking a serious look” at endorsing in the race, pledging a decision soon.
“You know, my problem is I’m friendly with all of them. I like all of them, all three,” he said at the time. “But you’ll be seeing soon,” he added. “They say whoever I endorse wins. That’s probably right.”
Trump also said aboard Air Force One in April that he would determine a potential endorsement in the GOP primary “at the right time.”
Cornyn is seeking the nomination for a fifth term in Washington in a closely watched, bitter primary that has attracted millions of dollars.
Early voting starts Tuesday across the Lone Star State and runs through Feb. 27, with the election to be held on March 3. If no candidate wins a majority of the vote, the top two vote-getters will advance to a May 26 runoff.
A runoff appears likely as recent polling suggests a tight three-way race. Paxton led with 31.9 percent of the vote as of Feb. 11, according to Decision Desk HQ’s polling averages, followed by Cornyn at 27.7 percent and Hunt at 19.3 percent.
A competitive primary also awaits on the Democratic side, where Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) is facing off against Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D).
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the seat as likely Republican.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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The Walk For Peace monks have returned to Texas. They were greeted by thousands over the weekend. Ceremony planned to reflect on their walk.
FORT WORTH, Tex. – After an arduous 112-day journey spanning more than 2,300 miles, a group of Buddhist monks has officially completed their cross-country “Walk for Peace.” The trek, which began in October, reached its heartfelt conclusion over the weekend as the monks returned to their home temple in Texas.
The mission of the walk was to foster a sense of national unity and global harmony. Upon their arrival, the monks were greeted by a dedicated community of volunteers and supporters eager to hear the spiritual lessons and insights gathered from their four-month journey across the American landscape. Local residents expressed a deep “obsession” with the mission, describing the peaceful demonstration as a vital movement for the country’s current social climate.
The homecoming also featured a special appearance by Aloka, the monks’ famous four-legged companion. The dog had been sidelined several weeks ago for surgery, but after a successful recovery, he was able to join the group for the final, celebratory moments of the walk.
While the physical miles are behind them, the monks maintain that their work to bridge divides across the world is a continuous, lifelong commitment. Venerable Bhikku Pannakara, who led the walk, made a vow to the public during a homecoming speech on Saturday.
“I promise you all that whenever it is, you will be able to walk on this path, I will walk with you all, and together we will walk on this path. If you don’t leave me, I will not leave you,” he told supporters who gathered in the pouring rain to welcome the monks home.
The monks have invited volunteers and the public to join them for a reflection on their journey and a special announcement at 9 p.m. Monday at the Hương Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth. A New Year lunar celebration will follow.
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For those who are unable to attend any gatherings in person, the monks are very active on social media, livestreaming and posting multiple times per day.
Their dog, Aloka, who is also making the journey with the monks also has his own social media accounts.
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