AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Matt Rinaldi, a former state representative from Irving, has been elected the next chairman of the Republican Party of Texas.
Sunday's election came roughly a month after former chairman Allen West announced his resignation from the position. A week ago, West announced his bid for the 2022 Texas gubernatorial race, launching a primary challenge against Gov. Greg Abbott.
"We cannot lose Texas — and will not lose Texas — if we work together," Rinaldi said in his victory speech.
Rinaldi won election with 34 votes from the 64-member State Republican Executive Committee. From 2015-2019, he served as the state representative for District 115 in the Texas House, losing re-election in 2018 to Democrat Julie Johnson.
“I’m honored the SREC chose me to lead the Party into the ever-important 2022 election cycle,” Rinaldi wrote in a statement. “Republican state office holders and legislative majorities have led this State to prosperity and success. We look forward to continuing to make Texas a beacon of freedom for other states to emulate."
Rinaldi will serve the rest of West's term as Texas GOP Chair through the state Republican convention in 2022.