AUSTIN (Dec. 2, 2015) – Recently, there have been calls to move the Republican Party of Texas state convention to Houston as a response to a transgender rights ordinance passed by the City of Dallas. However, moving the state convention will cost the party at least $800,000 or more in contract cancellation penalties and will hamper our party’s messaging and GOTV efforts rather than help.
The Texas Young Republican Federation believes it is vitally important that we take a stand on our principles and speak about our conservative beliefs across the state. Radio ads, TV ads, mailers, phone banks, and paid staff are all crucial tools that serve to amplify our voice and take our message to every household in our state. However, these tools require a lot of money to operate effectively. While moving the state convention will sap our party of vital funds that are crucial to getting out the vote and bringing our conservative message to the entire state. We stand with current and prior Republican Party of Texas leadership — putting our words into action when we say that we stand for fiscal responsibility.
As we saw in Houston when voters rejected the Houston Equal Rights “Bathroom” Ordinance, the only effective way to stop the progressive agenda is to defeat them at the ballot box. State party staff and resources were crucial in defeating this ordinance and helped the local party to make over 125,000 phone calls and knock on 36,000 doors. Therefore, the Texas Young Republican Federation urges the members of the SREC to preserve our ability to bring our conservative message to voters by keeping the state convention in Dallas and use the savings to fully fund our GOTV and messaging efforts for the 2016 election.
The Texas Young Republican Federation is joined by leaders from their local clubs in opposing any move of the Republican Party State Convention. Regarding the ordinance, Chris Busby, President of the Houston Young Republicans, said:
“If you look at any one city’s policies there is bound to be something that goes against the will of the majority of convention attendees. Those who are upset with Dallas’ recent policy change have a multitude of avenues in which they can pursue a return to previous policy. Moving the convention is the quintessential example of cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face by costing the party an exorbitant amount of money which it cannot afford to pay.”
Scott Apley, President of the Galveston County Young Republicans, said:
“I get the idea of standing on Principle and usually I am all for a dramatic stand. But I feel that we also have to be principled when it comes to honoring commitments in the form of contracts that we have entered into and being good stewards of the money that has been entrusted to the Party. There is a fight to be had in Dallas. I say we take that fight to them and not run away from them.”
Therefore, the Texas Young Republican Federation urges all members of the SREC to oppose moving the state party convention and encourages the SREC to be good stewards of the money given to us. Let us spend the money on the same proven and effective GOTV efforts that successfully defeated the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance.
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