Texas Republicans responded to multiple resolutions and platform changes at their state convention this weekend, including declaring President Joe Biden “not legitimately elected” and demanding an end to abortion.
The Texas GOP’s convention in Houston bolstered the number of remaining fixated on former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election — even after the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, presented evidence that those claims were false and showed testimony from Trump’s closest advisers who said they did not believe them during televised hearings.
Earlier this week, the party’s Standing Committee on Platform and Resolutions 2022 tabled a resolution claiming the 2020 elections violated the Constitution.
“We reject the certified results of the 2020 presidential election and we believe that Acting President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was not legitimately elected by the people of the United States,” the resolution reads.
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Delegates from the Convention also voted on a measure calling for “equal protection for the Preborn.”
“We urge lawmakers to enact legislation to abolish abortion by immediately ensuring the right to life and equal provocation of the laws for all unborn children from conception because abortion violates the U.S. Constitution by deny such persons the equal protection of the law,” it reads.
Abortion is currently banned after about six weeks of pregnancy in Texas after the state legislature passed a restrictive law last year banning abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected.
But a trigger law that makes abortion illegal could go into effect in Texas if Supreme Court falls Roe to Wade. A decision is expected later this month that could reverse the landmark 1973 decision that guaranteed abortion rights across the country.
The Texas GOP’s new platform would also urge Texas students “to learn more about the humanity of the preborn child,” including teaching that life begins at conception and witnessing live ultrasounds.
It also described homosexuality as an “abnormal lifestyle choice” and that the party “opposes all attempts to validate transgender identity”.
Votes from congressional delegates were gathered to add several items to the official Texas GOP as the convention closed on Saturday, the Texas Tribune reported.
They turned in two sets of ballots: one in which deputies were asked to choose eight of the 15 legislative priorities and another vote on more than 270 platform boards.
The votes will be counted and certified in Austin, but it is rare for a board to be rejected, party spokesman James Wesolek told the Tribune.
Wesolek has been contacted for additional comment.
