Texas Republican Party chairman Tom Mechler resigned his position – effective immediately – on Saturday. He cited the stress of the job and the desire to focus on family as his primary reasons.
The Amarillo oil and gas consultant estimates he spends 80-percent of his time away from home. He has been in the position since 2015, replacing Steve Munisteri who went to work for the Rand Paul presidential campaign.
In his letter Mechler called for healing in a “fractured” party, adding ““It is no secret that our party is divided into factions. It is also no secret that those factions frequently throw rocks at each other. As I prepare to leave this role, my hope is that every faction of this party will treat each other with kindness and respect.”
“Though we may disagree on certain issues, we are all part of the same Republican, conservative family… When we work together and treat each other with respect, we are stronger.”
The State Republican Executive Committee will pick a successor at its quarterly meeting in early June.
Harris County Republican Party Chairman Paul Simpson released the following statement:
Thanks to Tom Mechler for his commitment and dedication to keeping Texas Republican. Under his leadership, our Party continued to grow and set records for the number of elected Republican office holders. Chairman Mechler and his team should also be commended for engaging new voters and growing our grassroots army that helps keep Texas strong under conservative leadership. I wish my friend Tom Mechler the best, and look forward to keeping Texas red!