State Rep. Nate Schatzline speaks during a Republican election night watch party at Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Grapevine.
Chitose Suzuki/Staff Photographer
A Texas state representative who believes the 2020 election was stolen from President Donald Trump will lead election policy as a senior adviser to Gov. Greg Abbott.
State Rep. Nate Schatzline, a Fort Worth Republican, resigned from the Texas House on Thursday to accept the new role developing policy and legislative strategy related to election integrity, according to a statement from the governor’s office.
The two-term representative is among the most conservative members of the state House and a pastor at the Fort Worth mega church Mercy Culture. He does not have previous election administration experience.
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Schatzline did not immediately respond to a phone call or text message Thursday from The Dallas Morning News, but on X wrote that he looks forward to helping the governor “carry out his agenda on making Texas the blueprint for election integrity.”
Related: Greg Abbott names conservative firebrand to oversee Texas voucher rollout
In recent weeks, Schatzline was floated to replace Secretary of State Jane Nelson, who announced her retirement in June.
At least twice, the GOP lawmaker has repeated the lie that the 2020 election was stolen.
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At a November rally in Abilene to honor the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Schatzline praised those who stepped up to serve as election judges. He said they would be able to make sure elections are not stolen “like it actually was in 2020 when Trump was winning.”
“Does anyone agree with me on that?” Schatzline asked, according to a video recording of the event.
On a podcast in August with conservative influencer Jon Herold, Schatzline said without evidence that election fraud is rampant.
“It’s not even debatable the amount of election fraud we had through mail-in ballots. It’s not even debatable that the machines were screwed up and that we’ve seen unbelievable amounts of election fraud,” he said.
State Rep. Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, speaks to a crowd of thousands during a rally in honor of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in downtown Fort Worth.
Elías Valverde II/Staff Photographer
Asked about appointing a senior adviser who believes the election was stolen, Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesman for Abbott, said the governor appointed Schatzline “because of his proven conservative record fighting for election security.”
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“His experience in the Texas House will be a tremendous asset as we protect the voices of Texas voters,” the statement said.
Mahaleris did not answer if Abbott personally believes Trump won the 2020 election.
Related: Fort Worth GOP State Rep. Nate Schatzline announces he will not seek reelection
Schatzline and some conservatives continue to claim Trump actually won the election or that it was stolen from him. That theory ultimately led to the U.S. Capitol insurrection in January 2021. Still, Trump has tried to sow doubts about election integrity. Trump and other election deniers have never offered evidence that Biden was not the actual winner in 2020.
Numerous states conducted audits or recounts after the 2020 election, all of which confirmed Trump’s defeat.
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Like other hard-line conservatives in Texas, Schatzline is in favor of closing the state’s primaries. Last year, Nelson opposed a lawsuit filed by the Texas Republican Party, which sued her and the secretary of state’s office in an effort to close the state’s primaries.
Texas law does not require voters to register with a political party. Some conservatives, however, believe only registered Republicans should be allowed to vote in the state’s primaries, arguing that Democrats and left-leaning voters are boosting moderate candidates in primary elections.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the state’s lawyer, sided with the Texas GOP in the lawsuit despite his job to defend state agencies in litigation. The lawsuit is still pending in federal court.
Schatzline served two terms in the House but announced last year he would not seek reelection. In his two legislative sessions, Schatzline filed legislation that focused on culture war topics, such as LGBTQ issues, and diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state government.
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Related: Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson to resign as state’s top election official in July