Republican Party of Texas Chairman Matt Rinaldi announced this week that the party has begun a formal push to close its primaries ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
According to a press release from the RPT, Rinaldi has appointed a committee to investigate closing the primaries for the 2026 cycle. The committee will consist of former State Republican Executive Committeeman Mark Ramsey, current SREC members Matt Patrick and Jim Pikl, RPT general counsel Rachel Hooper, and former Republican National Committeeman Mark Lambert.
Closing the primaries has long been a priority of conservative activists in Texas. Under a closed primary system, voters could only vote in the primary of the party to which they are registered. Independents and members of other political parties would not be allowed to vote in the Republican primary under a closed primary system.