Topic: Tina Benkiser

Tina Renee Johns Benkiser (born ca. 1962) is a Houston attorney who has served as chairman of the Republican Party of Texas since 2003. She became chairman on the resignation of Susan Weddington.

She was elected to full two-year terms in 2004, 2006, and again on June 14, 2008. Robin Armstrong, an African American physician from Dickinson is the party vice chairman. He was elected to his second full term in 2008. State law requires that the chairman and vice chairman of political parties be of opposite sexes.

Under Benkiser's leadership, the Texas party has won all twenty-nine statewide offices and maintained its majority in the Texas State Legislature. Republicans have had a net loss of seats in the Texas House under Benkiser though, after peaking in 2003, and lost two formerly Republican seats in the U.S. Congress with the resignation of Tom DeLay and the defeat of Henry Bonilla in 2006. In 2008, however, the Republican Party of Texas regained the DeLay seat with the election of Pete Olson, and also made gains in down-ballot races, achieving for the first time an absolute majority of elected offices in the state, from Constable to Governor, despite a disappointing year for Republicans nationwide.