Anti-LGBTQ state Rep. Shawn Thierry leaves Democratic Party
Shawn Thierry Texas state Rep. Shawn Thierry — who lost her Democratic Primary race this year to an openly LGBTQ candidate after voting during the 2023 session of the Texas Legislature with Republicans in favor of legislation targeting LGBTQ people — announced today (Friday, Aug.
30, that she is switching to the GOP. Lauren Ashley Simmons defeated Thierry in the primary and now faces Republican Lance York in the race to take the District 146 seat in the Texas House.
In a written statement explaining her changing of party affiliation, Thierry said she switched parties because the Democratic Party “has veered so far left, so deep into the progressive abyss, that it now champions policies that I cannot, in good conscience, support.” She added, “I am leaving the left because the left has abandoned Democrats who feel betrayed by a party that has lost its way, lost its commitment to hard working families.” Democratic National Committeeman Jeff Strater, immediate past president of the Texas Stonewall Democrats also issued a statement saying Thierry’s decision to change parties “feels like a plot twist in a political soap opera — unexpected, yet oddly predictable.” Strater continued, “After five terms in the Texas House as a Democrat and running in a Democratic primary and runoff, it’s fascinating to see her decide that the party she’s represented for years suddenly isn’t the right fit.
This, after touting endorsements from Democratic precinct chairs and a scarce few Democratic colleagues in her last race, only to now claim that the Democratic Party has ‘lost its way.’ If anything, it’s proof that self-interest can sometimes lead you to strange places and into the arms of strange allies. “Thierry’s journey reminds you that when you prioritize personal gain over principles, you may find yourself in the company that contradicts everything you once stood for.” Strater said that Thierry’s decision to change parties after losing the Democratic Primary “is like switching teams in
