Utley resigns as county GOP chair

Scott Utley

JASON WALLACE

Parker County Republican Chair Scott Utley announced on July 23 that he was resigning his position due to a new business venture.

“My wife and I have launched a new business that will require my full attention. We are partnering with Generator Supercenter, the largest Generac dealer in America, to open their next location which will serve the West – O – Plex,” Utley said in his announcement. “Our Generator Supercenter will officially open in September and I will not have the bandwidth to continue supporting our republican team with the focus that I have today.”

Elected to the position about six years ago, Utley said the date of his resignation was timed to facilitate the selection of a new county chair utilizing the current meeting dates of the county Republican Party. He explained that the next Parker County Republican Party meeting is Aug. 3, and the party rules require a meeting to fill the vacancy within 20-days.

“The reason I made the move I did is so that we could have an election or a conversation or nominations during a the next scheduled meeting,” Utley told The Community News. “I wanted to be transparent, I want it to be the same day we always have meetings, I wanted people to be able to be there and see the proceedings.”

Utley also said his successor would require training. The Texas Secretary of State will conduct county chair training in September, so his successor would have an opportunity to participate if selected in August.

“And then directly the day after that the Texas Republican County Chairs Association has an additional county chair training, so that gives this person an opportunity to get caught up on some of the codes and election law,” Utley added.

Any person who desires to be the county chair must be nominated by a member of the County Executive Committee. Utley said a set of rules based on the rules of the Republican Party of Texas will be coming out this week to govern the selection process.

Utley’s successor would serve until a new chair is elected during the March 2024 Republican primary.

There are currently two people who have expressed an interest in becoming the new chair: Brady Gray and Joe Wilkinson.

“My preference is someone who wants to do it for more than just the interim period,” Utley said. “This has a been a difficult decision, but I know it is the right thing for my family and the Parker County Republican Party.”