Texas GOP Elects D’rinda Randall as New Chair, Ousting Incumbent Abraham George
"Now is the time to come together, unite behind our Republican nominees... and continue standing firmly for the conservative principles outlined in our platform."
— Former Chair Abraham George, conceding the race
D’rinda Randall, the former vice chair of the Republican Party of Texas, was elected chair on Friday, defeating incumbent Abraham George. George conceded shortly before the general session at the party’s convention in Houston.
Key Details
- Randall’s platform emphasized her accomplishments as vice chair, including financial gains from corporate sponsors and support for grassroots volunteer training.
- George’s tenure saw legislative victories in the Texas House, including private school vouchers and socially conservative laws.
- Notable backers: Attorney General Ken Paxton and many elected officials supported George, while Randall had a narrower base of supporters.
Convention Attendance & Financial Concerns
The convention in Houston saw low delegate attendance despite Governor Greg Abbott’s incentive program. Of the 7,000 registered delegates, many did not attend. A State Republican Executive Committee member claimed the party was taking a $651,000 loss on the convention. George responded that the deficit was closer to $100,000 and would be offset by future registrations.
"I think everybody’s incredibly nervous about what happened during the primaries. They see that the Democrat Party is incredibly engaged. I think the low turnout that you see here shows some apathy of Republican voters..."
— Trey Trainor, convention platform committee chair
Broader Political Context
- Randall’s victory comes as the party seeks to unite voters behind Senate nominee Ken Paxton, who defeated incumbent John Cornyn in the primary.
- George, the first Indian American chair of the Texas GOP, faced anti-Indian sentiment among some party factions, though delegates did not indicate that topic influenced the chair election.
- Randall ran with David Covey, a hard-right activist who previously served on the state party’s governing board and ran against former House Speaker Dade Phelan in 2024.
- Some of Randall’s supporters criticized George for being too welcoming to establishment Republicans, including House Speaker Dustin Burrows, who was scheduled to address the convention.