Dear Texas Republican,

It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve as your State Chairman for the past four months. As I’ve traveled across the state, driving over 7,000 miles and meeting with hundreds of the most amazing and dedicated grassroots, I have loved hearing your heart for Republican values and I have been amazed at all that you accomplish on a daily basis for conservative principles. Thank you for all that you do.

Since I haven’t had the privilege of seeing everyone in person yet, I’d like to share an overview of the party’s accomplishments since taking office on June 3.

As Chairman, it is my responsibility to maintain excellent relationships with all of our constituents. That includes the SREC (our board of directors), the RNC (the national party organization), county chairs, Republican officeholders (all the way up to the White House), the RPT staff members, our donors, and of course you, the grassroots. It is imperative that I stay in close contact with each of these groups, and it has been a joy to reach out to each and discover how eager they are to help ensure our party’s success.

In order to increase our efforts and successes, we have expanded our staff. With the help and encouragement of Governor Abbott’s campaign, Senator Cruz’s campaign, congressional candidates and our incredibly valuable partner — the RNC, we have already rolled out a level of field activity that shows we are taking very seriously the need to build serious long-term relationships with voters that the Party has not previously reached. I’d like to introduce you to a couple of our new field staff team members:

We have also expanded the Party’s ability to represent our platform and have achieved measurable results in turning many of our beliefs into a reality. Nearly 1,000 people signed up for our Strategic Texas Activist Team (S.T.A.T.) to promote platform items during the special session. I showed up to the Capitol to testify on bills that matched our principles, planks, and priorities, and so did many of you. As a result, we saw 5 platform plank items become a reality during this special  session.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, all of this great effort requires funds. When I took office, I learned that if things did not change dramatically, the Party would be out of funds by mid-November of this year. Since we are the party of fiscal responsibility, I knew that would be entirely unacceptable. So we immediately went to work, managed costs, and reduced expenses, and I have some good news. Even though summer is well known as the worst time to raise funds, and in spite of many of our generous donors now turning to help the devastated families of Hurricane Harvey, if our current fundraising pace continues, the Party will be on solid ground through the end of next year.

 

Pivotal in our fundraising efforts was Governor Abbott, who took some precious time during the special session to headline a fundraiser on RPT’s behalf. Also amazing has been the Grassroots excitement. The Grassroots Club typically drops its membership significantly during the summer a year after a Convention, but has instead grown from 850 to 916 members. In addition, we have begun attracting sponsorships for the State Convention next year. It is also significant and very good news that Senator Cornyn and Chairmen Sessions and Hensarling, have all agreed to be our guests at RPT fundraisers this fall. We are especially appreciative to Vice President Pence, who has expressed his willingness to do the same.

I cannot thank you enough for your support and encouragement. Together we will accomplish much more going forward, and succeed in securing the blessings of liberty to our posterity.

For Liberty,

James Dickey
Chairman
Republican Party of Texas