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 Week05:41 RPT Chair Race10:10 How the Party Platform Works19:36 Secretary of State & Election Administration28:47 Legislative Priorities Explained35:44 Convention Culture & Networking41:12 School Closures & Demographic Change49:58 Convention Prep & Final ThoughtsTopics 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 HoustonFollow Mark McCaig and Texas Voice:Texas Voice: https://Thetexasvoice.comX: https://x.com/TheTXVoiceFollow Seeing Red:Substack: https://seeingredpodcast.substack.comX: https://x.com/GWFulceSubscribe 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 and online at our website Seeing Red Podcast. x.com/gwfulce