“[I]t has been my distinct honor to serve as Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. I pray Godspeed for this governing body,” West said in a release.
West became chairman last summer, unseating incumbent James Dickey in the state party’s delayed convention. His tenure as chair was one of ruffled feathers within the party and turned up pressure on legislators to deliver on the party’s legislative priorities — the results of which West does not approve.
It also featured the chairman going toe-to-toe with the state’s Republican governor, Greg Abbott. West, along with Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and two state senators, sued Abbott over his unilateral extension of early voting.
He also joined a protest last October outside of the governor’s mansion calling for Abbott to end the lockdowns.
West has taken heat for defending the Texas Independence bill that stalled in the legislature as soon as it was filed.
The chairman has not indicated what lies ahead for him, though his resignation sparks further speculation that West is eyeing a run for statewide office. He told The Texan in an interview about what he hopes to accomplish in whatever comes next, “I’m looking forward to continuing to be the champion for individual liberty, freedom, rights and sovereignty.”
“I want to make sure that I can continue to be a champion for securing our borders and keeping the great state of Texas and its citizens safe and secure. And making sure that we do not allow this progressive socialist takeover emanating out of Washington, DC, but unconstitutional executive orders and actions.”
Tangentially, a piece of legislation was passed by the legislature this session to require state party officials to resign their position before running for another elected office.
“The Republican Party of Texas wishes to express our sincere gratitude for his numerous contributions during his tenure. His efforts have been greatly appreciated by staff and grassroots alike,” the party’s release concluded.
West’s successor will be chosen next month by the State Republican Executive Committee.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include comment from West.
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Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson is a senior reporter for The Texan and an Ohio native who graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2017. He is an avid sports fan who most enjoys watching his favorite teams continue their title drought throughout his cognizant lifetime. In his free time, you may find Brad quoting Monty Python productions and trying to calculate the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow.