Just this week, Attorney General Ken Paxton sided with the Republican Party of Texas in its lawsuit to end the state’s open primaries, a corrupt system that has long diluted the will of real Republican voters. By standing with his party and against the current law, Paxton is once again proving that he prioritizes constitutional rights, voter integrity, and the sanctity of party self-governance.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Amarillo, challenges the legality of allowing voters of any affiliation — including Democrats and independents — to participate in Republican primaries. The Texas GOP argues that this violates their First Amendment rights to free association. Paxton, instead of defending the law as the state’s top attorney, has taken the unusual — but deeply principled — step of backing the party’s claim.

“The unconstitutional law stopping the Republican Party of Texas from closing its primaries is completely indefensible and a slap in the face to the Republican Party and voters,” Paxton said in a public statement.

Across the state, moderate Republicans win primary elections because of crossover voting — a tactic where left-leaning voters influence GOP outcomes by voting in Republican primaries. That undermines the fundamental principle that only Republicans should choose Republican nominees. Closed primaries ensure that those who are truly invested in a party’s platform and vision are the ones selecting its leaders. When elections are wide open to anyone regardless of party affiliation, outside forces sway results, push more moderate or ideologically inconsistent candidates, and distort the will of actual party members.

Closing the primaries would be a powerful step toward restoring accountability, party unity, and ideological consistency. Paxton is right to call for a quick resolution to the suit and reject the idea of spending taxpayer dollars defending a law that undermines voter integrity.

Admittedly, moving to closed primaries would require a significant administrative effort. Texas’s 18 million registered voters would need to declare a party affiliation — a change that would involve revamping forms, systems, and voter databases. But these logistical hurdles are worth it. Securing the primary process is a cornerstone of restoring faith in elections, empowering the party base, and preventing manipulation by ideological opponents.