Texas' newly appointed Secretary of State is taking a stance on Republican election strategy, indicating he will not support using the court system to close the state's GOP primary elections.
Following the position of his predecessor, the secretary stated that any transition from Texas' current open primary system to a closed primary must be handled through legislation passed by the Texas Legislature, rather than through judicial rulings.
Transitioning to closed primaries — where voters must formally register with a party to vote in its primary election — has long been a priority for many Texas Republicans. Party leaders contend that the current open primary system leaves Republican contests vulnerable to strategic voting by political opponents.
While party activists continue to push for tighter voting restrictions within primary contests, the Secretary of State's position leaves the issue firmly in the hands of state lawmakers during the upcoming legislative session.
