Texas Democrats spent much of their final 2022 convention day electing a chairman, but they failed to adopt a party platform, prompting criticism from both sides of the political aisle.
The Democrats, who broadcasted the convention on their website, adjourned in the afternoon of July 16 when it became clear that a quorum couldn’t be reached after many people left following the vote for chairman.
Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa won reelection against Kim Olson, a former statewide and congressional candidate, and Carroll Robinson, chairman of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats.
Democrats took to the party’s Twitter and Facebook feeds to voice their consternation with the chairmanship election and lack of a platform.
Hinojosa’s bid for another term as chairman was met with opposition from two candidates for the leadership spot he has held since 2012.
Some Democrats expressed disappointment in the party’s statewide performance during the 2020 election and called for new leadership. Ultimately, Hinojosa received enough votes for reelection after Robinson withdrew.
Ike Hajinazarian, deputy communication director for the Texas Democratic Party, didn’t respond to a request from The Epoch Times for comment regarding details on when the platform will be announced and how it will be developed.
During the party’s convention, Democrats attacked Texas Republicans on abortion, gun ownership, and election security. The convention also doubled as a fundraiser for Democrats running in the state, including Beto O'Rourke, who’s trying to unseat incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican.
After the Republican state convention in June, Hinojosa rebuked them for rejecting Joe Biden as a legitimately elected president, saying Republicans “live in a parallel universe full of conspiracy-fueled hate.”
Texas Republicans engaged in tit-for-tat rebuttal on July 18, accusing the Democrats of extremism.
In a statement, Texas Republican Chairman Matt Rinaldi labeled local Democrats as a fringe party “who can’t even run a meeting, let alone a state.”
“The Texas Democrat platform will now be written behind closed doors by party bosses,” Rinaldi said. “The Republican Party of Texas is proud to be a grassroots-led party with a platform drafted by the more than 5,000 delegates in attendance at our convention, which is still the largest political gathering in the country.”
Rinaldi was re-elected as Texas Republican chairman in June at the Republican Convention, where he ran unopposed.
