Tensions between Texas Democrats and Republicans have escalated, with Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa calling for the resignation of GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi. The catalyst for this demand was a reported vote within the Texas GOP leadership against a proposal that would prohibit association with Holocaust deniers and Nazi sympathizers.
Hinojosa, in a strongly-worded statement, accused the Republican Party of Texas of being fueled by “white supremacy,” citing the vote as an indication that the GOP “casually accepts” individuals with racist and antisemitic views. He emphasized that there is no place for hate in Texas and called for the immediate resignation of Chairman Rinaldi and any elected official or committee member endorsing what he labeled as a “vile white supremacist ideology.”
The failed proposal was part of a broader pro-Israel resolution, and approximately half of the RPT executive committee members sought to prevent the recording of their votes. Hinojosa is not only pushing for resignations within the state GOP but is also urging the national Republican committee to launch an investigation into the Texas GOP’s alleged antisemitic ties.
In response, Texas GOP spokesperson James Wesolek pointed to two resolutions passed during the Saturday meeting, condemning anti-Semitism and expressing support for Israel. One of the resolutions reaffirms the commitment to denouncing all forms of anti-Semitism and violence against Israel and its supporters.
The call for resignations comes amid a wave of antisemitic incidents in North Texas, including a neo-Nazi demonstration near a Dallas synagogue in November. There are mounting calls for the state GOP to distance itself from organizations associated with white supremacists, such as the far-right Texas consulting firm Pale Horse Strategies. Notably, GOP Chair Rinaldi was photographed entering the building of Pale Horse Strategies, where Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes was also present. Rinaldi denied knowledge of Fuentes’ presence, stating that he was there for a meeting with a party executive.
The Texas Democratic Party, in the midst of these controversies, emphasized its own commitment to rejecting antisemitism and Islamophobia. Their executive committee had approved a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. The party’s leadership aims to maintain a “Nazi-free workplace,” as indicated by a post shared by TDP Executive Director Monique Alcala.
