Good morning, 

Republican officials endorsing Democrats?! Yep, it’s 2020... Do you think that’s acceptable?

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Wednesday, October 21, 2020
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• With 13 days left until the General Election, Ballotpedia reports that Texas’ Electoral College votes are a “toss-up” according to polling by RealClearPolitics. They list 12 states and two congressional districts – representing 197 Electoral College votes – as such.
   
• Their listing of toss-ups (with Electoral College votes in play) include: Arizona (11), Florida (29), Georgia (16), Iowa (6), Maine CD2 (1), Michigan (16), Minnesota (10), Nebraska CD2 (1), Nevada (6), North Carolina (15), Ohio (18), Pennsylvania (20), Texas (38), and Wisconsin (10).

• A member of the State Republican Executive Committee is drawing condemnation from Republican Party of Texas Chairman Allen West and others after publicly endorsing a Democrat for the state legislature. Brandon Waltens has the details.
      
• Dr. Alma Arredondo-Lynch was elected in July by convention delegates to serve as the committeewoman for Senate District 19, replacing Marian Knowlton, who is currently running as the Republican nominee for House District 31 against Democrat State Rep. Ryan Guillen in the Rio Grande Valley. Arredondo-Lynch, however, has opted against endorsing her Republican predecessor and GOP standard-bearer in the district – instead putting her support behind the Democrat.
        
• “I find it unconscionable, and irresponsible, that a member of our Texas State Republican Executive Committee would publicly endorse a Democrat candidate for our Texas State House at a time when we fight to retain and possibly expand our Republican Majority.” – Republican Party of Texas Chairman Allen West

• Two Republican election workers in Democrat-controlled Dallas County were fired Saturday for not wearing a mask – despite Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and the Secretary of State not making it mandatory for voters and election workers. Robert Montoya reports the election workers have appealed to the Supreme Court of Texas for help.
      

• Republican election workers Lynn Davenport and Meg Bakich were fired from working at the United Methodist Church polling location in University Park for not wearing masks. Direct Action Texas reports similar complaints have been made in Comal and Williamson counties.
       

• Dallas County Commissioner J.J. Koch (R) told Texas Scorecard he is “extremely disappointed in State Elections Director Keith Ingram for his role in this incident and his continuing inability to hold Dallas County Elections to the minimum standards for holding a lawful election.”

• As record numbers of Texans go to the polls to vote early in the November election, Texas election officials received a warning from the Office of the Attorney General that making up their own voting rules “is unlawful and could result in legal liability.” Erin Anderson has the full story.
   
• Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, a Texas Democrat Party official appointed in May as interim head of elections by the county’s Democrat-majority commissioners court, has set up 10 “drive-thru” voting locations across the county for the November election, using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to “create” a “new method of voting” that is outside the scope of state law.
     
• State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston) noted nine of the 10 drive-thru voting locations are in Democrat areas of the county, adding that “nothing in the Texas election code allows Mr. Hollins to do this setup.”
   
• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a guidance letter reminding local elections administrators – seemingly aimed squarely at Harris County’s Hollins – that expanded use of “curbside” voting this election season in response to Chinese coronavirus concerns must still adhere to rules set out in state election laws.
   
• “Fear of COVID-19 does not render a voter physically unable to cast a ballot inside a polling place without assistance,” Paxton wrote, referring to a ruling issued by the Texas Supreme Court earlier this year. “Accordingly, election officials should not advise voters that such fear qualifies them to cast a curbside ballot.”

• Meanwhile, congressional candidate Dr. Ronny Jackson (R–Amarillo) is raising questions over the City of Amarillo’s $275 million bond election on the ballot this November. If passed, reports Thomas Warren, the bond would hike taxes by 39 percent.
     
• “I have been asked about this repeatedly over the past few days, and as a true fiscal conservative, I have to say this looks like the wrong plan at the wrong time,” wrote Jackson on his Facebook page.

ONE CLICK SURVEY

Should Republican Party officials endorse Democrats for public office?