Recently resigned Dallas GOP County Chairman Nate Crain today sent a letter to members of the Party’s governing body expressing his alarm over the party’s finances. A likely challenger for State Party Chairman Crain asserted that the state party is dead last among the state parties in Federal cash on hand (money that can be spent of federal election turnout). Crain’s letter notes that the party had raised nearly $1.4 million this year but had spent more than $1.5 million leaving the part a net debtor of over a quarter million dollars.

With a meeting of the State Republican Executive Committee planned for this weekend Crain’s timing appeared intended to enhance his potential chairmanship campaign. “As we enter what is potentially the most critical non-presidential election year in recent history, with the Democrats poised for a serious effort to retake Texas (and especially my home county of Dallas) this is a terrible position,” his letter states.

Crain expressed particular alarm that the party appeared to have no active fund raising arm and had signed an agreement with the Travis County Attorney to limit the party’s get out the vote efforts as a part of the ongoing controversy related to the corporate funding of campaigns.

The incumbent chairwoman, Houston Attorney Tina Benkiser, is in her first term as party chairman is planning to seek re-election. Waco Attorney Gina Parker is expected to be one challenger with Crain a second. Many observers believe that if Crain runs he will be the chosen candidate of Gov. Perry.

The Texas GOP has become divided between two factions of the so-called religious right. The incumbent chairwoman is backed by the party’s Executive Director Jeff Fisher, a former county Judge from East Texas. Parker is backed by a faction led by former GOP National Committeeman and one-time head of the Texas Home School Association Tim Lambert.

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