The Texas Democrat added Friday that he plans to leave the party and switch to the Republican Party following the scathing rebuke.
Shawn Thierry Declared Thierry announced his party switch while attending the Mothers for Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C., saying he could not support some of the liberal policies, such as gender reassignment surgery for minors and stripping away Title IX protections for female athletes. The Democratic representative lost to opponent Lauren Simmons in the May primary, costing Thierry a fifth term, The Texas Tribune reported. Reported. (Related article: Voters are increasingly switching from Democrats to Republicans in key battleground states)
“This is not the party I grew up with,” Thierry said in a statement posted to X. “I have witnessed firsthand how the so-called 'liberal' left now stifles thoughtful debate, silences dissent with an iron fist, and demands blind ideological loyalty and that you must 'conform or be kicked out.' This is not the Democratic Party I once supported and represented.”
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As a woman, a mother, and a legislator, I have dedicated my life to championing values that strengthen families and uplift communities. After much thought, prayer, and reflection, I have decided that my core values and… pic.twitter.com/jyBC82lLfn
— Shawnie Thierry (@ShawnieT146) August 30, 2024
“Over the years, I have watched with dismay as the party I once knew has drifted farther and farther from its roots,” Thierry said. “It has become radicalized almost beyond recognition and increasingly removed from the values that millions of Americans hold dear.”
According to a press release accompanying Thierry's statement, Thierry, who is serving his fourth term in the Texas Legislature, has faced strong backlash from liberal voters and Democrats for supporting legislation that would ban cross-sexing hormones and sex-reassignment surgery for minors.
“In 2024, the Republican Party will promote economic independence by investing in Historically Black Colleges and Universities like the one I proudly graduated from,” Thierry said in a statement. “The Republican Party is the party of parents, and we believe parents have a fundamental right to determine the best educational environment for their children to learn, grow and succeed.”
“I am leaving the left because it has abandoned Democrats who feel betrayed by a Democratic Party that has lost its way and lost its commitment to hardworking families,” Thierry said in a statement.
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