Midterm convention, Tarrant Republicans map strategy: The latest in Texas politics

Republicans are entering the 2026 midterm cycle with a national convention in Dallas. Tarrant County GOP leaders are planning a $3.5 million county fundraising push. Fresh controversies over race and religion in public life are in the news. Here are key updates you may have missed on the political moves shaping the November election.

Here are key takeaways:

• A Republican Party midterm convention will be held Sept. 9-10 in Dallas, with President Donald Trump calling the gathering “truly Historic.” Trump said it marks the first time the party has held a midterm convention. Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters dubbed it a “Trumpapalooza.”
• Tarrant County GOP Chair Tim Davis outlined a strategy built on raising $3.5 million and running “one big beautiful campaign” with aligned messaging across judicial, legislative and statewide candidates. Davis warned members of an Arlington Republican club in an appearance that the November election will not be an easy victory.
• Former Fort Worth state Rep. Nate Schatzline resigned his Texas House District 93 seat to become a senior adviser in Gov. Greg Abbott’s office, where he will lead election integrity policy development and legislative strategy. Schatzline previously served as senior director of the National Faith Advisory Board, a Christian conservative group founded by Trump.
• Republican Texas House District 94 candidate Cheryl Bean posted and then deleted an AI-generated meme on her campaign Facebook page depicting WNBA player Sophie Cunningham and Indiana Fever teammates, with only the Black players wearing floaties. Bean said her team did not see the floaties before posting and called it an unintentional oversight.
• Bean faces Democrat Katie O’Brien Duzan in the Nov. 3 election for the district covering central Arlington, northeast Fort Worth, Hurst and parts of Bedford, a seat being vacated by Rep. Tony Tinderholt, who is running for Tarrant County commissioner.
• Texas became the first state to require Biblical reading for all public school students after the State Board of Education approved a social studies curriculum change and mandated reading list, with board member Brandon Hall crediting “Glory to God” for the outcome. The changes take effect in the 2030-31 school year.
• Hall, a Republican from Weatherford, told the Freedom Fighters club that moral degeneracy, discipline issues and low literacy rates stem from removing the Bible from classrooms and vowed to protect the changes from being reversed.
• Early voting for the November election runs Oct. 19-30, with heavy-hitting ballot positions including a U.S. Senate seat, five U.S. House seats and multiple statewide offices, Davis told Tarrant Republicans.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.