Dear Republican County Chairs and Precinct Chairs in CD 4,

President Donald Trump has nominated Texas Congressional District (CD) 4 Congressman John Ratcliffe to be the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The hearing process began this week and, if confirmed, Congressman Ratcliffe will vacate his Congressional seat and I may declare him ineligible to be our nominee for CD-4 in November (per the Ineligibility Clause, Art. 1, Sec. 6, Clause 2 of the US Constitution).

Should that occur, a replacement nominee would be elected by the CD-4 Congressional District Executive Committee (CDEC) composed of the precinct and county chairs who reside in that CD-4. TEC § 171.054. The election of a replacement nominee may not occur prior to the beginning of the term of office for the new executive committee members. TEC § 145.036(e). When the new nominee is elected, the Certificate of Replacement Nominee must be delivered to the Secretary of State by 5:00 p.m.on August 24, 2020. TEC § 145.037 

Because the primary runoff has been delayed until mid-July due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the new County Executive Committee terms begin August 3, 2020, which means the window to conduct the CDEC meeting and elect the replacement nominee is just three weeks.

The State Chair has the responsibility to call the CDEC to meet either as a whole in one location or separately in each county in the district after the Precinct Chairs take office. TEC § 171.054(b). If the meeting occurs in one location, the members of the committee will elect a chair at the committee’s first meeting from among the committee’s membership. TEC § 171.054(d). 

The required quorum for the election of the nominee is a majority of the CDEC membership. To become our nominee for the November general election, an individual must receive a favorable vote of a majority of the members present and voting. TEC §145.036 (d). Proxies and proxy voting are not allowed in a CDEC meeting. RPT Rule 6.

The qualifications for running for the Congressional Nomination in the CDEC process are the same as for candidates who file to run for congressional office in the Primary, except no application forms, filing fees, or petitions are required.  

Here are the key points to know:

  • The CDEC meeting will be held beginning at 1pm Central Time on Saturday, August 8, 2020, at The Hopkins County Regional Center, 1200 Houston Street, Sulphur Springs, 75482.
  • All that is required for someone to be a candidate is for a CDEC member to put their name in nomination during the CDEC meeting. A candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast by the CDEC members present in order to become the Party’s Congressional Nominee.
  • The Temporary CDEC Meeting Chair will be Donnie Wisenbaker, the County Chairman for Hopkins County.
  • The agenda of the meeting will be:
    • Call to Order, Prayer and Pledges
    • Report of Temporary Credentials Committee Chair
    • Vote to accept or modify Credentials Committee Report
    • Nominations for Permanent CDEC Chair
    • Election of Permanent CDEC Chair
    • Report of Temporary Rules Committee Chair
    • Vote to accept or modify Rules Committee Report
    • Nominations for candidates for Congressional Nominee for CD-4
    • Speeches by candidates for Congressional Nominee (and/or their representatives)
    • Election of Congressional Nominee
    • Vote on Motion to Adjourn

We face an historic moment in Congressional District 4 with the potential election by the CDEC of our Party’s nominee for the November election. I hope this letter helps everyone better prepare for that election and therefore helps ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. 

Sincerely,

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James Dickey
Chairman
Republican Party of Texas