Wesley Hunt Backs Closed Republican Primaries

As Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) moves to ensure that Republican primaries are closed, Rep. Wesley Hunt (R) is cosigning the idea.

This week, Attorney General Paxton announced that he had filed a joint resolution with the Republican Party of Texas to remove the provision in the Texas Election Code that prevents the GOP from only allowing Republicans to vote in primary elections.

In contrast, Florida Democrats and Non Party Affiliates (NPA) overwhelmingly believe that primary elections should be open, citing that NPAs would have the opportunity to vote in the elections that directly affect their lives. Lenny Gucknenheimer of Florida Open Primaries argues that "closed primaries are unfair to independent voters who comprise about one-third of Florida voters. They pay for primary elections but can't vote."

In contrast, Attorney General Paxton's argument is that the provision is unconstitutional, emphasizing that Texas should respect the party affiliation of its voters. In his motion, the attorney general believes that the law banning closed primaries directly "violates [the voters'] right to affiliate only with like-minded persons."

Rep. Hunt, who, like Attorney General Paxton, is currently challenging for Senator John Cornyn's (R) seat, weighed in on the issue on social media, expressing that "GOP primaries in Texas must be closed, period."

The senatorial hopeful argued that "there is absolutely no reason Democrats should be allowed to meddle in our primaries, except to play spoiler and install weak, pretend conservatives who will bend to the establishment once elected."

The Texas Republican warned that having open primaries is "exactly what candidates like John Cornyn and the Washington elite are counting on," because "Democrat interference" only makes it easier "to keep real America First fighters out of power."

As such, he calls on Texas Republicans to back closed primaries, urging that "Texas Republicans should choose Texas Republicans. Not Democrats. Not D.C. insiders. Not the swamp."