What Actually Matters at the Texas GOP Convention (2026)

What Actually Matters at the Texas GOP Convention (2026)

Texas Republicans are gathering in Houston for the Republican Party of Texas Convention—and while most coverage focuses on speeches and personalities, the real action happens in the committees. This week, Garrett Fulce sits down with Texas Voice publisher Mark McCaig to break down how the party platform is built, how legislative priorities are selected, why those priorities matter to lawmakers, and what delegates can expect as convention business gets underway. Garrett and Mark also discuss the race for party chair, the role of the Texas Secretary of State, the debate over open versus closed primaries, and how convention decisions can shape the political fights heading into the next legislative session. 00:00 Welcome to Houston & Convention Week 05:41 RPT Chair Race 10:10 How the Party Platform Works 19:36 Secretary of State & Election Administration 28:47 Legislative Priorities Explained 35:44 Convention Culture & Networking 41:12 School Closures & Demographic Change 49:58 Convention Prep & Final Thoughts Topics include: • How the Texas GOP platform is created • Why legislative priorities matter • The race for the Republican Party Chair • Secretary of State speculation • Open vs. closed primaries • Election integrity debates • School closures and demographic shifts in Texas • What delegates should expect in Houston Follow Mark McCaig and Texas Voice: Texas Voice: https://Thetexasvoice.com X: https://x.com/TheTXVoice Follow Seeing Red: Substack: https://seeingredpodcast.substack.com X: https://x.com/GWFulce Subscribe for weekly conversations on Texas politics, elections, campaigns, public policy and the people shaping the future of the Lone Star State. Find us at seeingredpodcast.substack.com for full episodes. Follow us on all socials at @theseeingredpod [https://twitter.com/Theseeingredpod] and online at our website Seeing Red Podcast [https://seeingredpodcast.com/]. x.com/gwfulce

Texas Republicans Are Walking Into a General Election Buzzsaw

The 2026 election cycle is already taking shape. In this episode of Seeing Red, Garrett Fulce examines new warnings emerging from Republican strategists about vulnerable legislative districts, turnout challenges, and the impact of the Paxton-Cornyn Senate race on down-ballot Republicans. Later, Mark McCaig joins the show to explain the Republican Party of Texas convention, delegate selection, party leadership elections, the State Republican Executive Committee (SREC), legislative priorities, and how grassroots activists influence the future direction of the Texas GOP. Topics include: • Texas House battleground districts • Republican turnout challenges • General election strategy • The Republican Party of Texas convention • SREC and party governance • Delegate selection • Legislative priorities • Grassroots organizing • Door-knocking and voter outreach Subscribe to Seeing Red for weekly analysis of Texas politics, elections, campaigns, and public policy. 00:00 Texas Senate Race & Down-Ballot Fallout 01:12 Why R+12 Districts Are Suddenly Vulnerable 03:05 Texas House Seats Republicans Could Lose 05:35 Why Paxton Changes Every Race on the Ballot 07:55 Winning Primaries vs. Winning General Elections 10:38 What Is the Republican Party of Texas Convention? 12:40 How Delegates Actually Get Chosen 16:20 The Race for Texas GOP Chairman 18:25 What Does the State Party Chair Actually Do? 20:59 Should Republicans Close Their Primaries? 22:21 Credentials, Rules & Convention Fights 25:36 Can Republicans Stay Unified in 2026? 30:29 How Campaigns Identify Persuadable Voters 32:56 What Is the SREC? 40:44 Inside an SREC Meeting 43:43 How the Texas GOP Has Changed 51:18 Republicans Need a New Message 53:39 The Most Effective Door-Knocking Strategy 1:01:53 What's Next for Seeing Red? Guest Information Mark McCaig Publisher, The Texas Voice Former State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) member Attorney and longtime Texas political activist Follow Mark X/Twitter: @MarkMcCaig // @TheTXVoice Website: TheTexasVoice.com Mark McCaig is the publisher of The Texas Voice, a Texas political news and analysis outlet focused on state government, elections, and conservative politics. A former member of the State Republican Executive Committee, McCaig brings years of experience in party politics and grassroots organizing to discussions about the Republican Party of Texas and the broader Texas political landscape. Find us at seeingredpodcast.substack.com for full episodes. Follow us on all socials at @theseeingredpod [https://twitter.com/Theseeingredpod] and online at our website Seeing Red Podcast [https://seeingredpodcast.com/]. x.com/gwfulce

Paxton, Trump, and GOP Strategy To Keep Texas RED

In this episode of Seeing Red in Texas Politics, Garrett Fulce delves into the recent political dynamics in Texas, exploring the outcomes of the Senate race where Ken Paxton emerged as a notable figure against John Cornyn. Fulce provides a thorough analysis of Paxton's political journey, including the implications of his past controversies and how they might influence his credibility going forward. The discussion extends to analyze the factors that will shape the upcoming elections, focusing on voter behavior and strategic moves by the Republican Party. As Paxton navigates a landscape littered with past grievances, Fulce breaks down the electoral mechanisms at play, offering a roadmap for what the party needs to retain voter allegiance. Timestamp Summary 0:00 Ken Paxton's Political Journey and Republican Implications 1:57 Republican Strategies to Win Over Disenchanted Voters 5:39 Paxton and Talarico's Political Race Dynamics and Challenges 9:45 The Challenges of Campaigning in Competitive Texas Regions 11:46 Revamping Show Format for Enhanced Engagement and Quality Find us at seeingredpodcast.substack.com for full episodes. Follow us on all socials at @theseeingredpod [https://twitter.com/Theseeingredpod] and online at our website Seeing Red Podcast [https://seeingredpodcast.com/]. x.com/gwfulce

Bots, Ballots, and the #TxLEGE Grind: An Interview w/ Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson—co-founder and reporter at Texas Bullpen—joins Seeing Red to talk about the real mechanics of Texas politics: how information moves, how power consolidates, and why Twitter matters far more than most people want to admit. Brad walks through the launch of the Texas Bullpen, his path from Ohio to the Texas Capitol, and why he thinks Texas politics is entering a more “traditional” election cycle after years of chaos. We dig into the comptroller’s race, Abbott’s quiet hand in key primaries, and why Ken Paxton continues to survive scandals that would’ve ended other careers. The conversation also pulls back the curtain on the Paxton impeachment trial—what went wrong for prosecutors, how outside pressure shaped the outcome, and why bots and online noise now play a measurable role in legislative behavior. If you want to understand how Texas politics actually functions—not how it’s sold—this episode is required listening. Key Moments & Timestamps 0:00 – Why Texas lawmakers obsess over Twitter replies 0:47 – Launching the Texas Bullpen (and running on adrenaline) 2:31 – Leaving the Texan and betting on independent media 3:06 – “Punchbowl meets old Texas Monthly”: defining the Bullpen lane 9:44 – How redistricting reshaped Texas elections 12:25 – The comptroller’s race and Abbott’s personal stakes 16:42 – Don Huffines, name ID, and why competence suddenly matters 24:31 – Ken Paxton’s political durability—why nothing sticks 31:24 – From tracker to reporter: learning Texas politics the hard way 36:45 – Following Hillary Clinton and the life of a political tracker 40:33 – Twitter bots, fake engagement, and legislative pressure 49:00 – What really happened in the Paxton impeachment trial 54:20 – The Speaker’s race and calendar control as raw power 1:03:18 – What Texas Bullpen is building next Find us at seeingredpodcast.substack.com for full episodes. Follow us on all socials at @theseeingredpod [https://twitter.com/Theseeingredpod] and online at our website Seeing Red Podcast [https://seeingredpodcast.com/]. x.com/gwfulce

A Conservative Asks a Democrat to Explain Her Platform — She Didn’t Hold Back

Garrett Fulce returns to “Seeing Red” after a brief hiatus, discussing local politics with Sara McGee, a Democratic candidate for Texas House District 132. Sara shares her origin story in politics, sparked by a challenging encounter with current representative Mike Schofield, and her advocacy for issues like reproductive rights, public education, and health. The episode explores nuanced views on abortion, the implications of school choice, and Sara’s experiences with social media activism.  0:00 — Cold open  0:42 — Intro + explaining the hiatus  4:00 — McGee’s origin story  8:20 — Abortion: lived experience vs. legislative text 13:00 — Cases of miscarriage, preeclampsia, and medical liability fears 16:30 — Garrett’s rebuttal: moral hierarchy, exceptions, and conservative tensions 20:00 — Fringe bills vs. mainstream Republican thinking 23:00 — Why the abortion debate breaks political messaging 24:00 — Transition to education funding and vouchers Find us at seeingredpodcast.substack.com for full episodes. Follow us on all socials at @theseeingredpod [https://twitter.com/Theseeingredpod] and online at our website Seeing Red Podcast [https://seeingredpodcast.com/]. x.com/gwfulce