Date: 12-June-2026
HOUSTON — Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed closed Republican primaries Friday, telling delegates at the Republican Party of Texas convention that only Republican-affiliated voters should participate in Republican primary elections.
“We’re going to make sure that only Republicans vote in Republican primaries,” Abbott said.
Abbott’s comments come after Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson announced she will resign effective July 17. Her office has been involved in an ongoing lawsuit with the Republican Party of Texas after declining to implement a party-backed closed-primary system.
The Texas GOP argues closed primaries are needed to prevent Democrats from influencing Republican contests. Attorney General Ken Paxton sided with the party, while Nelson’s office sought dismissal of the lawsuit.
Texas currently does not require voters to register by party. Voters may choose a Republican or Democratic primary ballot, though voting in one party’s primary limits them to that party’s runoff in the same election cycle.
Abbott had largely avoided the dispute until now. After his speech, he told Texas Scorecard he would prefer lawmakers handle the issue, saying, “Legislators can and should be more responsive to Republicans than a judge may be.”
Delegates are expected to finalize the Texas GOP’s legislative priorities before the convention ends Saturday.
The governor also used his convention speech to promote several priorities for the next legislative session, including property tax reform, tighter limits on local government spending, a lower appraisal cap, and a statewide prosecutor to pursue cases when local district attorneys decline to act.
Abbott also called for denying bail to people unlawfully in the country who are charged with felonies, codifying his freeze on new H-1B visa petitions by state agencies and public universities, and expanding that restriction to local governments.
He also urged lawmakers to pass a broader ban on Sharia law in Texas and give the attorney general more authority to enforce it.
John J. Gately
Republican Precinct Chair – Precinct 338
Williamson County Republican Party
Round Rock, Texas