Alan Greenblatt is a GOVERNING correspondent.
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In a victory for grassroots GOP activists, a judge in Texas has ordered the state party to pick a convention chairman in advance of its gathering next week.
Texas election law says a political party's state convention must choose a permanent chairman before doing most official business. [Former Harris County GOP Chair Gary] Polland and Wharton County GOP Chairwoman Debra Medina said the party instead elects a permanent chairman late in the convention, shutting off dissent beforehand about the selection of convention delegates and new state party leaders, the adoption of a platform and other actions.
"If they want to exclude the grass roots and control the process it's not right," Polland said.
Medina worked on the Ron Paul campaign.

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