County Judge offering Montgomery Co. as alternate state GOP Convention site

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas - Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough took to social media Wednesday offering the county as an alternate site for the in-person state GOP convention.

“Montgomery County is open for business,” Keough said in the video message.

This comes after Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner made the decision Wednesday afternoon to cancel the event from taking place at the George R. Brown Convention Center next week. 

In the video message, Keough said, “It’s amazing to me. Less than four weeks ago, there was no mention of any problems with 60,000 people gathering together in protest, no mention of handwashing, no mention of social distancing, and no mention of wearing masks, or any of that.”

RELATED: City of Houston cancels Texas GOP in-person convention at GRB

Keough also said in his statement he supports the right to protest but he also supports the right to political speech as a first amendment right. 

“What we have at this convention is 6,500 or 7,000 people who have agreed to follow CDC guidelines and do everything they can to keep things safe and meet in a building that can hold 50,000 people.”

RELATED: Republicans angry after Houston mayor cancels state GOP Convention

He added that the Republican party is responsible to state statute, to have their convention by a certain time in order to meet their requirements for the November election. 

“If you can make the logistics work, to use the facilities however we need to, we will be great hosts,” said Keough. “We will not put any political pressure on you, there will be no last-minute changes. All that we ask is that you follow the same guidelines that you agreed to when you agreed to have it in the City of Houston.