Yet another heated contest for the Chairmanship of the Republican Party of Texas is upon us, with former Florida Congressman Allen West challenging incumbent State Chairman James Dickey. The contest will be decided at the Republican Party of Texas state convention in Houston next month.
One of the biggest issues in the race is the ability and willingness of the candidates to serve as a full-time State Chairman. Seven months After the 2018 State Convention, (nearly a year and a half after Dickey first took office) the State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) approved a $150,000 annual salary for this State Chairman, with the expectation that the Chairman serve in a full-time capacity.
This strategy of expecting and paying for a full-time commitment from the State Chairman has paid tremendous dividends for the Party. Under Chairman Dickey’s full-time leadership, the Republican Party of Texas has posted record fundraising numbers, which is allowing the party to hire an unprecedented number of field staff across the state for the upcoming general election. Chairman Dickey has committed to continuing to serve as a full-time Chairman if he is re-elected to the post.
Dickey’s opponent, former one-term Florida Congressman Allen West, is well-known to many due to his frequent celebrity television appearances over the years. Since moving to Texas in 2014 to assume the leadership of the now-defunct National Center for Policy Analysis (which West led into bankruptcy), West showed little interest in Texas grassroots politics until announcing his candidacy for State Chairman last year.
West currently has a number of political and professional commitments that will make it impossible for him to make anything even close to the full-time commitment needed from the Republican Party of Texas State Chairman.
In addition to his work as an author and public speaker, for which he charges between $15,000 and $25,000 per speech, West also serves as “Senior Advisor” to the Committee to Defend the President. According to campaign finance records on file with the Federal Election Commission, West has been paid $75,000 by the Committee to Defend the President since September, 2019.
Despite standing for election as State Chairman next month, West has recently added additional commitments to his plate.
My Faith Votes, a nationwide voter mobilization effort, announced earlier this month that West had joined their team as spokesperson. In a release announcing West’s new position, My Faith Votes CEO Jason Yates stated “We are honored that [West] would choose to give his valuable time to My Faith Votes to see a historic turnout of Christians in every election in every community.”
In addition to these other obligations, West became President and CEO of the Hope Center Foundation on June 15, 2020. The Hope Center Foundation is a Christian, faith-based non-profit organization with annual revenue of over $16 million. According to the Hope Center Foundation’s most recent publicly available financial records, West’s predecessor as President and CEO earned an annual salary of $193,905 in 2018. These records also state that West’s predecessor devoted 40 hours per week to the position. It is likely that West’s compensation as President and CEO of the Hope Center Foundation is comparable to, if not in excess of, that earned by his predecessor. West is actively engaged in raising funds for the Hope Center Foundation, sending out fundraising e-mails and cutting YouTube videos soliciting contributions.
The organizations that West is doing work for are all good organizations that do very important work in their respective fields. However, one person can only do so much and there are only so many hours in a day. With all that is at stake in November, the Republican Party of Texas cannot afford to have a State Chairman that is distracted with other paid obligations.
Perhaps more troubling is that West does not himself view the Chair of the Republican Party of Texas—literally the largest GOP organization in the world—as a full-time obligation. Two of the three new jobs he’s accepted have been in the past three weeks while we are just weeks away from the State Convention.
The Republican Party of Texas must have a State Chairman that is singularly focused on building the party and leading it to victory in November. This will require, at a minimum, a full-time commitment to the party. Television appearances and speeches are just a very small part of what the job of Chairman entails.
James Dickey is committed to spending every waking hour to advancing the Republican Party of Texas, recruiting volunteers, organizing the party, and getting our candidates elected in November. Dickey’s commitment isn’t just lip service or empty campaign rhetoric— it is a demonstrated record proven throughout his tenure as Chairman.
Allen West is not doing the Republican Party of Texas or his current employers any favors if he overextends himself to the point where he cannot effectively serve in any of his roles going into this critical election season. I wish him all the best in his work with the Committee to Defend the President, My Faith Votes, the Hope Center Foundation, his book selling, and his other professional endeavors. I believe he, as well as the Republican Party of Texas, would be best served if he focused on his current commitments while allowing James Dickey to continue to thrive as the full-time Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas.
Think of it this way. If you had multiple jobs already netting you hundreds of thousands per year, would you work full time at a volunteer or lower paying gig for an organization you’ve never had any meaningful input into or helped in the past? Neither will Mr. West.
Mark McCaig is an attorney and Republican Precinct Chairman in Harris County.
Oh the irony – Dickey looses seats to the left in every election you think that is success. The RPT now stands for the ROVE Party of Texas. He is just a useful idiot according to Bonnen – this is a joke. And, every Chairman before James had a full time job and they did not lose to the left.
You obviously do not know LTC Allen West, or have seen him speak standing next to the current Chairman. Allen is a Conservative who has served this country all his life and has a way of reaching people and getting them passionate about the Republican Party. This is something we desperately need, since Texas has gone farther left under Dickey’s 3 years. Nothing is more important to him than keeping Texas Bright Red. He is not over committed. He will bring new people to the party and do an excellent job! The worst thing that could happen is to keep Janes Dickey in and see Texas go farther left.
My goodness, girl, what kind of Kool-Aid are you drinking? Last I checked RPT stands for the REPUBLICAN Party of Texas. I am a proud Texas Republican! We have an impressive list of principles & values that I believe with my whole heart! We are in a war with people (Democrats) who are trying to eradicate this country- change history, burn buildings, shatter statues, get rid of The police and you disparage the Republicans? Your “facts” are not even Correct. The truth is we need all Republicans to band together to fight this enemy. Chairman Dickey should continue the great work as RPT Chair & Allen West as spokesman & CEO of these amazing organizations. Going the same direction in different lanes!
My concern is the Republican outreach to Islam being pushed by James Dickey and Governor Abbott. I see what Islam has done in Michigan and Minnesota, not to mention around the world. I don’t see anyway it will be different in Texas. I have been called a bigot before and I don’t care so save your breath. I do have 10 grandchildren that will have to deal with our failures though. I have found Col West to be an effective manager with a true passion for Texas. He loves the one true God Yeshua. He stood with me at the Alamo to defend it against the destruction sponsored by George P Bush and Gregg Abbott. I need a man that loves Texas the way I do as chairman of the RPT #RightSideOfTheMic
This entire article is a JOKE. When James Dickey was elected at the 2018 State Convention, he had been asked publicly and repeatedly if he was willing to serve as a volunteer. He was absolute in his answer that he would. Immediately after his election with the first meeting of the new SREC at the end of the Convention, through the September meeting and in October with a special meeting he called, he actively solicted for a salary. The SREC agreed to the salary when Congressional wanna be Kathaleen Wall personally committed to the salary contribution. Having spent his energies on his own enrichment through this time leading up to the mid terms, we had the biggest losses in a decade with US Congressional Reps, Texas State Reps and Judgeships.
* West did not lead the NCPA into bankruptcy, that was former President and Founder John Goodman and the
newly hired CFO’s $600,000 embezzlement from the group. During his time there, West had raised over
$900,000 for the Think Tank
* West has traveled this state extensively inspiring Republican Organizations into action and supporting the
work of the County Chairmen and their Precinct Chairmen and volunteers, helping to raise record amounts for
their fundraisers.
*James Dickey tried to undermine County Chairman by his failed push to have legislation in 2019 enacted to
give the Party the ability to overide Texas election code so the RPT could have power over the County
Chairmen so as to remove and replace them by the SREC. An activist group of County Chairman defeated this
action as they are elected by thousand of their local citizens and refused to be judged by the SREC who are
elected by a few hundred delegates.
* After James Dickey’s horredous losses in the 2018 midterms and his inability to raise funds to match the RPT
budget , Karl Rove and Steve Munisteri came riding in on white horses with a treasure chest to bail out the
RPT. They allowed James (the useful idiot as many top level elected officials refer to him) to take credit for it
so as not to tarnish the profile of the RPT.
* LTC West is a man of honor, he would serve this Party like he has served the United States with self sacrifice,
intelligence and a world scope way beyond that of Dickey.
I was a homeowner in Wests Congressional district in Broward County Florida during his tenure. He was elected without scrutiny in an upset in 2010…and then managed to not understand what his job was, misread the electorate, needlessly offend wide segments of his electorate, infuriate the business and moderate GOP voters he needed to win elections and anger so many of his constituents to the point that his reelection in his district was impossible. I remember he was so effective in offending Republicans that a Republican leaning business club in the district faced a revolt when they asked him to speak.
He then used Redistricting to switch to another, far more GOP leaning district, which he proceeded to lose to a Democrat in 2012 (while running behind Romney who won the district). West remains the only Republican incumbent to ever lose that district in the modern era.
He managed to enjoy mild support with just one non-Anglo demo in South Florida.. Cuban Americans. Cuban Americans dont really make up much of the electorate in Texas.
Wests career before Congress was extremely controversial (to say the least). His rhetoric before, during, and after Congress has been extreme and intemperate.
In short, he cant count votes, is loathed by independents and business Republicans, cant build/sustain a coalition, doesnt do the work he was supposed to do, doesnt know how messaging works, and repels everyone but the Tea Party wing and evangelical Anglo voters.
I have no idea who the current RPT chair is. But Im quite familiar with Mr. West.
Y’all elect him if y’all want to. But y’all will sorely regret it. Whatever problems the RPT has, he aint the solution for the problems they currently have and will be ineffective (or counterproductive) in leading the RPT through the policy and structural changes needed to manage Texas’ demographic and political shifts.
Tom nails it as far as concerns about Allen West.Chair James Dickey has exceeded expectations in fund raising, candidate recruitment, voter registration, and support of the party platform in legislative session hearings, all as part of a well organized 2020 campaign plan that began early in 2019 and has rolled on forward despite the coronavirus limitations.
His slogan says it well. Experience matters. Results matter.
How the worm turns. This from you two years ago:
Marvin Clede 2 years ago
The comments to Melinda Fredericks are telling. —Melinda then asked him “why did you mislead us?” He replied “I had to or I would have lost the race because 2 votes would be determined based on my response.”—
I was one of those 2 votes who expected different things from Mr. Dickey. And this does not even address the heavy handed and impolitic way he dealt with the chair of the Auxiliaries and Coalitions Committee who is my colleague on the SREC. At the very least I am concerned about style and character expressed in subsequent actions. There are difficult questions to evaluate in this upcoming election, which to date, has become exceptionally divisive.
It’s about time Texas Republicans take a firm stand on issues and those who support them. Republicans today have a much bigger tent than Democrats and shouldn’t be shy about saying so. That said, it seems that McCaig’s main objection to Mr. West’s candidacy is his concern about commitment. Well, in my view there are way too many lukewarm, weak sister “leaders” and office holders it our GOP. Nice people all, I am sure, but the Democrats went knives out long, long ago, so maybe the time for good-fellow-well-met politics is over. Now they are on the ropes and desperate, so they will fight like or cornered badger and cheat like a card shark. We can already see it happening, even here with their thankfully defeated effort at mail-in ballots.
I don’t care how many jobs Mr. West has; he’s a proven leader and might be just what we need here. So he has made mistakes. Who hasn’t? Perhaps he has learned from them. Let’s give him a chance.
Marvin Clede 2 years ago
The comments to Melinda Fredericks are telling. —Melinda then asked him “why did you mislead us?” He replied “I had to or I would have lost the race because 2 votes would be determined based on my response.”—
I was one of those 2 votes who expected different things from Mr. Dickey. And this does not even address the heavy handed and impolitic way he dealt with the chair of the Auxiliaries and Coalitions Committee who is my colleague on the SREC. At the very least I am concerned about style and character expressed in subsequent actions. There are difficult questions to evaluate in this upcoming election, which to date, has become exceptionally divisive.
As said above, West was such an idiot he could not get re-elected, then made such a horse’s ass of himself that he had to flee Florida and seek his fortune in Texas.
West is exactly the leader that the RPT deserves.
The road to victory should already be paved and heading in the right direction. Is it? Very little is being done to get the Hispanic and African American vote or any viable GOTV initiatives. Your pro Dickey article doesn’t say much about him but says a lot about West being a committed patriot.
Dickey is funded by Karl Rove. The bulk of his fundraising was from one check by Rove’s organization. Dickey keeps the milquetoast Or even destructive Republicans in office.
George P Bush who wishes to desecrate the Alamo by moving the cenotaph is tied to Rove and Dickey.
John Cornyn, whose vote made Obamacare a reality and who has stated he is ok with renaming military bases, and whose entire senate career has been an embarrassment to Texans, having stood for nothing ever, is also tied to James Dickey and Karl Rove.
As best as I can, I intend to spread the word on how bad Dickey has been. And the very arguments you use against West could be used against Dickey when he first ran.
As a combat veteran, I can tell you that the incident you mentioned in side conversations is why I support West. There are approximately 6 American soldiers who made it home instead of on an al qaida Video because Alan West made a decision more impactful in 30 seconds than Dickey has made his whole life.
I am turned off by Allen West’s dishonesty. In a recent video he put out, he claims that the RPT posted this very article by Mark McCaig on its website. I searched the entire site and couldn’t find it; a Google search of texasgop.org didn’t turn it up either.
I’m also turned off by his playing the race card. He claims that “the Republican Party of Texas posted this article, questioning how many jobs I have, on their web site” and that “here’s the problem, Republicans: that’s why people call you racist, because you would take an article, a hit piece, written on a black man, a retired Army colonel, a former member of Congress … and you would use that as a hit piece? Chairman James Dickey? Republican Party of Texas? I think that’s a violation of campaign ethics rules, that you would post on a Republican Party web site a hit piece against me.” Really? a) this article is nowhere to be found on the RPT website, and b) since when is an article about a legitimate concern (in this case, about a candidate possibly having too many jobs to run the state party) considered racist? Is nobody allowed to challenge him or question him because otherwise they might be considered racist? A close friend of mine, who has always liked Allen West in the past, told me a couple of months ago that she was turned off by his use of the race card at a campaign event he spoke at. Sorry, but that kind of BS is not a quality I look for in the leader of our state party. People can have legitimate debates and concerns and NOT be racist.
I also expect a chair of our State Party to at least have had some sort of past party experience, for example leading a county party or past SREC experience or the like.
Since it’s hard to know when McCaig is a democrat and a RINO, I’d give little credit to his one-sided hit piece. If the Republicans want to stay in power, they need to diversify