The Republican National Committee's first-ever midterm party convention is this week in Dallas. It'll feature a slew of candidates who are on the ballot this fall, plus one big name that isn't: President Donald Trump.
RNC organizers say they expect 20,000 people at the American Airlines in Dallas this week. And no matter how far they've traveled to attend, those Republicans will be walking in the door well aware of Texas' importance to the party.
Texas hasn't elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994. The party's held the majority in the state Legislature since the early 2000s. And Republicans have won a majority of Texas' congressional seats since the 2004 election.
But the state provides the party with much more than millions of reliably red voters.
The GOP has a uniquely powerful donor network in Texas, said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political scientist with the University of Houston.
"Texas has largely been considered the ATM for Republican Party politics," he said. "There's no other state where there's such a convergence of ideology and money as Texas."Money from oil, gas and energy are a big part of it. Many of the state's wealthiest Republican donors made their fortunes in the industry.
That group includes names you've likely heard before: Tim Dunn, Farris Wilks, Jeffery Hildebrand, Kelcy Warren and more.
Rottinghaus said other big Republican donors from Texas sit at the top of the state's real estate, finance and business sectors.
"Texas is the epicenter, financially, of so many different industries, and so many big money players are involved in Texas politics from either an ideological point of view or from a financial point of view," he said.
From the start of 2025 through July of this year, nearly one-third of the Republican National Committee's itemized individual contributions — almost $29 million — came from Texas.
That's not hard to believe given the sheer size of the state's economy. According to the state comptroller's office, if Texas were its own country, it would have the eighth highest gross domestic product in the world.
'It's skin in the game'
So Texans have money to spend on politics — sometimes a massive amount of it. But what motivates people to give?
I emailed and called more than two dozen Republican mega donors to ask. While I couldn't get any billionaires or millionaires on the phone, one of them did write back to my email. While they declined a formal interview, they did offer a brief explanation of why they give.
"As a traditional Republican, I feel it's a part of citizenship to be somewhat involved in who we chose to lead our state," the donor wrote.
Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser says peoples' reasons for giving vary.
"Typically it is a combination of they do support the agenda. They support the platform and the president," Steinhauser said. "But also they're looking for access. And so money helps open doors. There's no secret in that."
But, he stresses that giving a large amount so you can be within earshot of policymakers doesn't guarantee you'll get what you want. Steinhauser said the hope truly is that they will at the least be able to provide their input on matters they care about.
Of course, Texas isn't just home to a booming economy and wealthy financiers and oil executives who'll get out their checkbooks. It's also home to a lot of people, including more than 6 million who voted for Trump in 2024.
Even if just a fraction of those voters give to the RNC or Republican campaigns, that adds up. These smaller-dollar donors are also far more willing to talk to a reporter — like Rebecca Trahan, a finance executive who lives in Katy and does work as a Republican strategist. She began giving back in the early 90s.
"I first donated to the Republican National Committee, I think I was 19 years old. I didn't have a lot back then, but I wanted to start contributing," she said. "I've donated ever since. I've donated small amounts. I've also donated very large amounts."
Trahan says while it's true some people do donate simply for access and to influence policies, that's mostly a mindset for the big guys and doesn't describe the majority of givers.
"I would say, in my experience, people like that are more on the fringe," she said. "They're not the average person that is giving a donation."
For Houston small-dollar Republican donor Tom Slocum, an oil and gas consultant, giving is less about access than personal investment.
"It's skin in the game. It's definitely skin in the game," he said. "You helped elect this person with your time and your treasure. When you've invested into the campaign, even if it's $20, you're a lot more likely to go vote because you have made a small-dollar donation."
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