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The Dallas County Republican Party is trying to get back to normal.
On Monday evening, hundreds of North Texas’ most dedicated Republicans gathered in a Dallas Sheraton meeting room — standing room only — to witness the fallout of former Chairman Allen West’s resignation. West, who served one term as the party’s leader and had recently been reelected for a second term, resigned on April 16 after facing pushback for abandoning the group’s decision to require precinct-based voting on Election Day, following a process that resulted in thousands of Dallasites being turned away from the polls in March.
One contingent appeared outraged that West had been pushed out. They made claims suggesting that personal threats forced the chairman’s resignation (West has not confirmed this), and that precinct-based voting provided only “media fodder” against the conservative group ahead of a Senate election that could threaten the party’s long-held winning streak in Texas.
But another delegation argued that West exceeded his authority when he met with county officials to rescind the DCRP’s contract requiring precinct-only voting. It was that cohort that brought forward Monday’s resolution, which calls for the reaffirmation of the party’s initial, precinct-based election day plan and for the “rejection” of West’s “unilateral attempt” to change the county election services contract. The resolution was passed by the body 93 to 35.
A second resolution, which urges DCRP officials to comply with the precinct-based voting plan, passed 102 to 24.
“We are treating this like a little club. It isn’t a club. … Our decisions bind the party,” said Barry Wernick, a precinct chair and candidate for Dallas County Commissioner who introduced the resolutions. “We were the leaders in this whole country when we passed this very issue.”
But with only five weeks until the runoff election, it’s unclear what May’s polling will look like for voters in Dallas County. In early April, Elections Administrator Paul Adams suggested to the Dallas County Commissioners’ Court that it was “going to get to a point” where West’s amended, joint election contract could not be changed because there would not be time for the logistical switch.
When exactly that point is, was not made clear. The county elections department could not be immediately reached for comment.
A Party Divided
Opening the meeting, acting Chair Tami Brown-Rodriguez urged the crowd to remain kind and “focused on moving forward.” But as the meeting progressed, it became clear that cracks have come to the surface.
Will Campbell, a Republican candidate for Texas House District 109, read a letter signed by a handful of conservative candidates that criticized party organizers for failing to support campaigns at the height of election season because they were instead busy rebuffing “justified criticism” of the precinct-based voting rollout.
“A subset of chairs have spent the time [leading up to the election] colluding against our duly elected chairman,” Campbell read. “The organization feels divided. You can feel the tension in this room.”
To some extent, the future feels uncertain. On May 4, precinct chairs will gather to elect a new chair to serve out the remainder of West’s term, which runs through June. But Brown-Rodriguez said it remains unclear whether West’s resignation also applies to his second term, which begins in June, or if the former chairman will retake the mantle after a two-month break.
Some precinct chairs appeared disgruntled with decisions being made in the meantime. An audible grumble moved through the crowd on Monday after it was revealed that the DCRP does not have a lawyer on retainer and that the resolutions passed had not been reviewed by an attorney employed by the party.
West’s resignation suggested that proceeding with precinct-based voting would be a surefire way to expose the party to litigation, and several audience members seemed to agree that the resolutions only furthered that concern. A motion to withdraw the resolutions because counsel had not vetted them ultimately failed.
Additionally, Wernick announced that he had already filed a writ of mandamus, which a Dallas County court accepted on Monday. The filing asks the county elections officials to disregard West’s amended contract, and although Wernick said he filed the writ on behalf of himself, some in the crowd suggested that it was inappropriate to do so before a DCRP vote. Others, though, stood in clear support of doing whatever it takes to ensure precinct-based voting is adhered to.
“We are not going to stand for a chairman usurping our parliamentary duty,” said precinct chair Nate Weymouth in support.
Still, some precinct chairs seem unable to forget the sight of voters — Democrats and Republicans alike — being turned away from the polls.
“What we experienced in the March primary was not a failure of the precinct-only model, it was a failure of execution,” said Jack Cox. “I was there, I experienced it and it was an embarrassment to be a Republican judge on election day.”
