In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s top legislative priority is creating a new entitlement program for private school students. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is threatening to support a challenge to Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the 2026 primaries. And several Republicans have endorsed various forms of state control over local and community decisions.
For lifelong Texas conservatives, today’s Republican Party is unrecognizable. The party has been co-opted by a few billionaires funding candidates and media outlets that espouse ultraconservative religious priorities and alt-right values that are out of step with most mainstream Texans.
Numerous mainstream conservative politicians have been driven out of elected office because they are labeled “too liberal,” which has become code for an unwillingness to compromise their personal values to go along with extremist priorities of the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.
So how did this happen, and why does it keep happening? The simple answer is that we tolerate it. Put another way: voter apathy.
To be clear, right-leaning policies are fine and are part of the broader discussion we should have with each other on any issue. But, extremism, distortion and the outright bullying tactics that have cowed many Republican politicians — and many of your neighbors — have all but destroyed the true Republican Party and damaged our democracy. How many Americans do you know who are now scared by their government? It is staggering that such a question can even be credibly posed; it is terrifying that the answer is most of us.
The highest voter turnout always happens in presidential election years. According to the Texas Secretary of State, only 50% of the Texas’ voting-age population voted in the November 2024 presidential election. So, if you voted in November, you fulfilled your civic duty, right? Not by a long shot.
According to Ballotpedia, of the 3,285 Texas electoral races at all levels of government in November, 71% were uncontested. Because of gerrymandering, almost all races are determined by whoever won the nomination in the dominant party. The real elections were held during the March primaries, when only 29% of general election voters participated. Primary turnout for Republicans was about 13% of registered voters and for Democrats, turnout was 5.5%.
The people who control Texas politics clearly understand the math. To win the Republican nomination for most political offices (which effectively means winning that office), a candidate only needs to capture about 7% of registered voters. Over the past 10 years, Republicans have established a solid voter base that is passionate about extremist pro-life policies, very far right evangelical Christian social priorities and ultraconservative politics. They are a small minority of the population but they are passionate about their beliefs and aggressively intolerant of any opposing views. They show up to vote in the primaries and they have taken control over who gets nominated for the November elections.
Fueled by a swell of funds from a very few that drowns out opposition candidates, their extremist messages often are dominated by distortion, insults and smooth-sounding but empty promises. Politicians respond first — and it appears, last — to the people who vote for and financially support them, not to the broader needs and opinions of the general population.
Voting against incumbent Republicans who no longer represent your values and priorities does not make you a Democrat. It makes you a responsible citizen.
There are outstanding Democrats who deserve support, but the political realities in Texas make it unlikely that Democrats will become the majority party any time soon.
Rather, it is time for mainstream Republicans to take back their party and restore good governance in Texas. This process needs to commence immediately in order to be ready for the 2026 general election.
Republican politicians are always concerned about being primaried from the right wing for not being true to the base. In the last election, Abbott handpicked challengers in Texas House Districts where incumbent Republicans refused to go along with his agenda. Several of the challengers won.
The time has come to loudly and consistently push back against the alt-right. Now, even when no elections loom, a consistent drumbeat against fundamental unfairness, falsehoods and staggering anti-American policies will help create a backdrop that will allow true conservatives to emerge and help take back the Republican party.
Knowing that true Republicans are mobilized and engaged will allow the party to effectively launch primary challenges against legislators who only cater to the extremist right-wing base and ignore the needs and priorities of mainstream Texas citizens. Only when the true Republicans change the atmosphere of politics will the new generation of balanced and thoughtful leaders emerge. Sitting quietly and complaining has never worked.
Taking back the party will require three important and interdependent elements: a concerted effort to increase voter turnout for the primary elections; recruitment of compelling, balanced and thoughtful candidates; and a commitment to raise campaign funds to support strong campaigns.
This won’t be easy and it won’t happen overnight; and it will never happen if you think this is always someone else’s job.
The same strategies that allowed the hard-right conservatives to co-opt the Republican Party can be used to move the party to better represent mainstream Texans. But it will take passion and mainstream voter participation to make it happen.
If you are unhappy about the current state of affairs, do not stay silent. Get involved and stay involved in promoting competitive primary election races in March 2026.
J. Peter Kline is a private investor in Dallas.
submit your letter here.
letters@dallasnews.com.
