On September 4, the Republican Party of Texas filed a federal lawsuit to obtain a closed primary for itself. Hunt v State, n.d. 2:25cv-200. Here is a link to a news source that has a link to the Complaint. Texas has always had open primaries, ever since primaries have existed in Texas. The Complaint prominently mentions the Idaho Republican Party’s lawsuit that succeeded in getting a closed primary for the Idaho Republican Party. But it does not mention other cases in which federal courts ruled against parties that had filed similar lawsuits. Such cases were filed by the Democratic Parties of Hawaii and Mississippi, and Republican Parties of Montana, Virginia and South Carolina.

The case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in the Amarillo Division of the Northern District. More than 95% of all cases filed in that Division go to Judge Kacsmaryk. Republicans frequently file in the Amarillo Division because Judge Kacsmaryk is considered to be strong Republican partisan. One of the plaintiffs lives in that Division; if he weren’t in the case, the case couldn’t be filed in that Division.

Sixteen amici curiae briefs have been filed in the U.S. Supreme Court in National Republican Senatorial Committee v FEC, 24-621, on the side of striking down the federal law that limits how much money parties can spend on their own nominees, if they are coordinating with their nominees.

One amicus brief is filed by twenty states: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia. All these states have Republican Attorneys General.

One brief is filed by the Republican Parties of Alabama, Georgia, and Texas. Another is filed by the Republican Party of Florida.

Other groups that have filed, and argue for striking down the limit, are: Buckeye Institute, Liberty Justice Center, American Center for Law & Justice, CATO Institute, Chamber of Commerce of the US, Advancing American Freedom, the Republican Governors Association, the America First Policy Institute, House Speaker Mike Johnson, former Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican National Committee, and Randy Elf.

Later amici on the other side will be filed.

On September 3, U.S. District Court John M. Gallagher upheld the Pennsylvania law that requires a minimum number of write-ins in a partisan primary before the candidate can be nominated. Pugh v Berks County Board of Elections, e.d., 5:25cv-3267. The plaintiff, Brandon Pugh, was the only candidate for Mayor of lyons Borough from any party. No one appeared on the primary ballot of any party for this position, but Pugh received six write-ins. However, the law said he needed the same number of write-ins as the number of signatures he would have needed to get on the primary ballot. That number was only ten. The judge said the burden was not severe. However, now no one will appear on the November 2025 ballot, and a write-in candidate, either Pugh himself or someone else, can run. In the general election there will be no minimum number of write-ins needed to win.