As a candidate for Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, Abraham George spoke of his grand plans for the Party’s fundraising and organization.
At a candidate forum shortly before the Party’s State Convention in May, candidates for the State Chairman were asked, “How big a budget will the [Republican Party of Texas] operate on under your leadership and how many employees do you foresee?”
George did not hesitate in his response.
“I believe it needs to be $18 million; that’s about a million and a half per month. During non-election time, I think the [Republican Party of Texas] should be running as lean as possible, somewhere between eight to ten employees. During election time, I believe the [Republican Party of Texas] should be running at about 100-plus employees or contractors. However we get the manpower out there, we need to do that. That’s my goal.”
Although George achieved victory in his campaign for State Chairman, and with the 2024 general election quickly approaching, the Republican Party of Texas’s financial and organizational position is nowhere near the level George said the Party needed to be at.
In its most recent campaign finance report filed with the Federal Election Commission, the Republican Party of Texas disclosed operating expenditures of $222,504.74 during the month of July- less than 15% of the $1.5 million monthly budget George said the Party needed to be operating at when he was campaigning.
Unlike past campaign finance reports filed by the Party, the most recent report did not list individual employees on the Party’s payroll. The prior report the Party filed that covered the month of June disclosed six employees on the Party’s payroll. The Party’s monthly payroll increased by $4,712.89 in July compared to June, indicating the possibility of adding another employee. The Party’s campaign finance report did not reflect significant payments to contractors.
A staff of seven employees would be below the “lean” staff of “eight to ten” employees that George said he envisioned during non-election periods and does not approach anything close to the staff of “100-plus” that George said he wanted to have in place during election season. The Party’s campaign finance report for the same period during the 2020 Presidential election cycle reflected a staff of just under sixty employees.
The Party’s latest campaign finance filing reflected contributions of $124,587.59 from individuals in July 2024. This represents a 79% decrease from the $597,265.22 that the Party raised from individual donors in July 2020.
A large transfer from the Ted Cruz Victory Fund accounted for the vast majority of the funds raised by the Republican Party of Texas last month. These funds are earmarked towards coordinated expenditures with Senator Cruz’s re-election campaign and are not intended to be used for the Party’s general operating expenses.
George briefly alluded to the Party’s poor financial condition in remarks he delivered at the State Republican Executive Committee meeting on August 2.
In his remarks, George said he wanted to open “maybe 2 or 3” regional offices in South Texas but lacked the funds needed to open those offices at the time of the meeting.
“We do need some resources on that. Looking for some more money on that,” George told the State Republican Executive Committee.
George also told the Committee he had been talking to prospective donors and believed that he would have funds for those offices in two to three weeks, but that time period has now passed. The Party has not announced any additional information about opening regional offices in South Texas or other regions.
Election Day is November 5, with early voting by personal appearance starting on October 21.
