Tom Mechler
| Thomas Richard "Tom" Mechler | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office March 7, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Steve Munisteri |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1957 Place of birth missing |
| Spouse(s) | (1) Tomoko Izumikawa Mechler (divorced) (2) Rebecca Lynn Hill Mechler |
| Children | From first marriage: Michalla Marie Mechler Stalder Mitsziko Mechler Mote Melea Rachel Mechler Bonasso |
| Residence | Amarillo, Texas, USA |
| Alma mater | Texas A&M University |
| Occupation | Businessman |
Thomas Richard Mechler, known as Tom Mechler (born c. 1957), a petroleum and natural gas consultant from Amarillo, Texas, is the chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. He was chosen on the third secret ballot by the 62-member Republican State Executive Committee meeting in Austin on March 7, 2015, after the resignation of Steve Munisteri of Houston, who had been the chairman since 2010. The GOP holds all statewide offices in Texas.
Background
Mechler's place of birth is not available. He graduated with an engineering degree from Texas A&M University in College Station and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has formerly resided in connection with his employment in Wasilla, Alaska and in Texas: Kerens, San Antonio, Claude, Pampa, and Amarillo.[1]
Political life
To win the state chairmanship, Mechler defeated several intraparty rivals, including former vice chairman and current Republican National Committeeman Robin Armstrong, an African American physician from Dickinson in Galveston County; Wade Emmert, the Dallas County party chairman, and Jared Woodfill, the former Harris County chairman known for his support of social conservatism. Woodfill was unseated as chairman in Harris County in 2014 by Paul Simpson. In 2010, Munisteri defeated Mechler at the party's state convention in Dallas, and Melcher instead was named the party treasurer and was credited with bringing stability to party finances. To retain the chairmanship, Mechler must be again elected in 2016 by delegates to the regular state Republican convention, which is held in May or June of every even year in various major cities across the state.[2][3]
Mechler has been the Republican chairmen in two Texas counties,[4] one of which is Gray County, which includes Pampa, the second largest city in the Texas Panhandle. To succeed himself as party treasurer, Mechler tapped Republican activist and assistant treasurer Thomas B. "Tom" Washington (born c. 1952) of Denton.[5]
In 2005, then Governor Rick Perry appointed Mechler to the board of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.[2] Governor Greg Abbott said that he expects Mechler to "strengthen the party [and] continue the momentum of our state's Republican victories and preserve the very values that have made Texas the greatest state in the nation to live, work and raise a family."[2] Mechler opposes marriage of same-sex couples and once said he would cancel his subscription to his home-town newspaper, the Amarillo Globe-News, were it to place in its pages a picture of two men or two women kissing each other.[6]
References
- ↑ "Thomas R. Mechler". intelius.com. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Brian M. Rosenthal (March 8, 2015). "Tom Mechler elected new leader of Texas Republican Party". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ↑ "Tom Mechler Elected Texas GOP Chairman". breitbart.com. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ↑ "Tom Mechler's File". politifact.com. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ↑ "Tom Mechler is New State Party Chairman". jackcountygop.com. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
- ↑ Trudy Ring (March 10, 2015). "New Texas GOP Chair Repulsed by Same-Sex Kisses: New chair Tom Mechler once wrote that if his local newspaper published a photo of a same-sex kiss, he'd cancel his subscription". advocate.com. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
| Preceded by Steve Munisteri |
Texas Republican Party State Chairman
Thomas Richard "Tom" Mechler |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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