Welcome to our blog!
Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
Breaking News: State Rep. Shawn Thierry, a Houston Democrat who was defeated in her primary earlier this year, has announced that she is switching to the Republican Party.
Thierry lost to primary challenger Lauren Ashley Simmons in the runoff after she supported several bills opposed by the LGBTQ+ community. Her decision to switch parties came after delivering an emotional speech explaining her defection from the Democratic Party.
In her statement, Thierry cited the Democratic Party’s shift towards progressive policies that she could no longer support as a reason for her switch to the Republican Party.
Recently, Thierry was named the director of political strategy for Genspect, an anti-trans policy group that opposes gender-transitioning care for minors.
With Thierry’s move, the partisan balance in the Texas lower chamber now stands at 87 Republicans and 63 Democrats. Thierry’s term will expire before the next legislative session in January.
Several prominent Houston Democrats supported Simmons in her primary challenge against Thierry, showing a public division within the party. Despite this, Thierry secured endorsements from Black church leaders and a few Democratic lawmakers.
Thierry’s decision to support controversial bills, such as removing sexually explicit books from school libraries and requiring transgender college athletes to align with their sex assigned at birth, drew criticism from some quarters.
Don’t miss out on TribFest – get your tickets now!
Join us from Sept. 5–7 for 100-plus unforgettable conversations with over 300 speakers, including Stacey Abrams, Colin Allred, Liz Cheney, Richard Linklater, Nancy Pelosi, Rick Perry, Gretchen Whitmer, and Glenn Youngkin.
