Ken Paxton, Texas Republican leaders urge party unity at GOP convention
State leaders and candidates on Friday preached unity from the main stage of the Texas Republican Party’s state convention in Houston, following a bitter primary season where the race for U.S. Senate topped the ticket.
With May 26 past, it’s time for Republicans to focus on winning in the state’s Nov. 3 general election, said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the GOP nominee for the Senate seat.
“I know you’ve heard that today,” Paxton said from the convention’s main stage. “I’ve won three statewide elections because we know how to bring the party together when it matters, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do right now.”
He continued: “I want everyone to know, no matter who you supported in the primary, I will work every day to earn your support, because right now the stakes could not be higher.”
Paxton’s remarks and similar messages from GOP elected officials and candidates come as Republican leaders in Texas seek to bring the party together against Democrats in November after a bitter primary season, where statewide incumbents, such as Senator John Cornyn, lost their reelection bids. (Cornyn lost in the primary to Paxton.)
The attorney general said he is the Democrats’ “number one target” for this year’s November election.
“Flipping Texas is their top priority, but let me tell you this: To every Democrat across the country, hear me loud and clear. This is Texas and we’re not going to let you take it,” Paxton said.
He later called his Democratic opponent, state Rep. James Talarico, “a threat to everything we hold dear as Texans.”
The Star-Telegram has reached out to the Talarico campaign for comment on Paxton’s remarks.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows took turns addressing convention attendees before Paxton’s speaking slot. Patrick told the crowd that Friday is the first time in more than 20 years that the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the Texas House are all speaking at the state convention.
“We are showing unity to this party,” Patrick said from the convention stage. “We must win through unity in November.”
Abbott book-ended his speech with talk of defeating Democrats in the fall.
“When we Republicans unite, we are unbeatable,” Abbott said. “That unity is going to drive victory this November and no one does a better job than you all at turning out that vote. Together we’re going to demolish the Democrats.”
Ahead of Paxton’s speech, the Texas Democratic Party called the attorney general “morally unfit for office” citing a “record of corruption” and criticized his office’s handling of a child sexual abuse case.
“Texas Republicans must answer for putting one of the most corrupt politicians in America at the top of their ticket,” spokesperson Ryan Martin said in a written statement.
In 2023, the Texas House approved 20 articles of impeachment against Paxton. The Texas Senate, however, voted to acquit Paxton.
Some Cornyn supporters have said they won’t vote for Paxton in November or are still weighing what to do when it comes time to vote.
“There should be a five-alarm warning about anybody thinking about voting for a Democrat,” Abbott said.
At one point, someone in the crowd yelled out Cornyn’s name during Patrick’s speech, to which Patrick replied: “Well, he isn’t helping right now, by the way, and neither is our former ag. commissioner.”
House Speaker Dustin Burrows’ was met with some boos when it came time for his remarks, according to The New York Times. He and other speakers blasted Democrats, particularly Talarico, as they warned about the stakes of losing in November.
“I knew I might receive a mixed reception, but the stakes are too high to stay silent,” Burrows said in a post on X shared after his speech. “A bruising primary season is behind us. Now, our focus must be on November.”
Candidates for attorney general, comptroller, agriculture commissioner and railroad commissioner were among those who addressed conference attendees on Friday.
Fresh off victories in May’s primary runoffs, former Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French and Texas Sen. Mayes Middleton, a Galveston Republican, labeled their November Democratic opponents as “radical” and linked them to Talarico.
“The truth is, we’re facing the most radically left ticket ever nominated by the Democrat party,” French said.
French took the stage directly after Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian, the Republican incumbent whom French defeated in a May 26 runoff.
“We just came through a pretty contentious primary season,” said Nate Sheets, the Republican nominee for agriculture commissioner who beat Republican incumbent Sid Miller in March’s primary election.
Sheets, the founder of Nature Nate’s Honey, arrived for his speech wearing beekeeping gear.
There are hurt feelings on all sides, he said.
“I understand this personally, but now is the time to lock arms,” Sheets said. “Texas can’t afford a James Talarico, crazy, radical agenda.”
Texas Comptroller candidate Don Huffines, a former Republican state senator who ran against Abbott for governor in 2022, said he and the governor are united. Huffines offered his endorsement of the “entire Republican ticket.”
“We must work together,” he said. “We’ve got to crush the atheists and the leftists in the fall.”
This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 6:00 PM.
