‘Not the party I grew up with:’ Another Texas lawmaker leaves Democratic Party

(The Center Square) – Another lifelong Democrat has joined the Republican Party in Texas, this time, state Rep. Shawn Thierry of Houston.

She made the announcement on Friday, joining Gov. Greg Abbott in Austin.

“This is not the party I grew up with,” Thierry said of the Democratic Party. “I now stand with the party of Lincoln, the party that fought to preserve our Union and fought to end the atrocities of slavery.”

Thierry switched parties after advocating for parental rights on the issue of school choice, protecting children from irreversible sex change surgeries, and protecting girls and women in sports and education from transgender policies she says are harmful. Last year, she joined Republicans to pass a bill Gov. Abbott signed into law banning sex-reassignment surgeries for minors in Texas. She also opposes Biden administration proposed changes to Title IX that would strip protections for girls and women in sports and higher education. Texas sued over the policy, and won, blocking the changes from going into effect.

After advocating for parental rights, Thierry was vilified by members of her party, censured, and primaried. Opponents spent over $1 million to unseat her in a runoff election in which she lost to an LGBTQ activist, The Center Square reported.

Abbott welcomed her to the Republican Party, saying it’s “the party of opportunity, individual liberty, and economic prosperity. Representative Thierry served in the Texas Legislature for four terms until the Democrat Party abandoned her after she delivered a 12-minute speech from the House floor in favor of a law I signed to protect Texas children. Her decision to switch parties demonstrates that the radical leftist agenda of the Democrat Party does not align with a majority of Americans. I look forward to continuing to work with Representative Thierry to build a bigger, better Texas for generations to come.”

In a statement posted on social media, Thierry said, “As a woman, a mother, and a lawmaker, I have dedicated my life to championing the values that fortify our families and uplift our communities. After much reflection, prayer, and soul-searching, I have come to a decision that aligns with my core values and the best interests of our beloved country.”

As a life-long Democrat who was raised by Democrats, she said in the last few years, “I have watched with dismay as the party I once knew has drifted far from its roots. It has become almost unrecognizable – radicalized and increasingly out of touch with the values that millions of everyday Americans hold dear.

“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 policies like promoting sex changes for children during a vulnerable stage of their lives, and dismantling Title IX protections for women in sports.”

Thierry also addressed the “cancel culture” of the political left after she expressed support for parental rights on a range of issues.

“This is not the party I grew up with. I have witnessed firsthand how the so-called ‘liberal’ left now stifles thoughtful debate, silencing dissent with an iron fist – demanding blind allegiance to ideology, where one must ‘comply or be cast out.’ This is not the Democratic Party I once supported and represented.”

She also highlighted values of the Republican Party she supports.

The GOP is “the party of parents,” she said, “believing that they have the fundamental right to determine the best educational environments for their children to learn, grow and succeed.”

The GOP is also the party “that fosters prosperity and entrepreneurial opportunities, enabling small business owners to not just survive, but to thrive, fulfilling the promise of the American dream.”

It’s also the party of mothers, she said, whose job it is to protect their children.

“Mothers around our country from all backgrounds, races, and communities understand that it’s our sacred duty to preserve the innocence of our children, protect them from being sexualized, and sterilized,” she said. “To respect universal truths, and to uphold the rights of biological women as defined by science, nature, and common sense.”

She said she is leaving the Democratic Party because it abandoned her and others like her.

“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,” she said, knowing that “by making this choice, my choice, I will face relentless attacks, criticism, and mischaracterization.”

“Censured, but not silenced, I will use my voice to amplify the voices of women everywhere – women who are willing to make waves across America. Together, we can nurture and protect our children by creating a safer, brighter future for them. Together, we can restore the spirit, security, and soul of America.”

Thierry joins the now Republican mayor of Dallas, Eric Johnson, who left the Democratic Party after advocating for the need to cut taxes and spending. She also joins multiple south Texas former life-long Democrats who joined the Republican Party, citing the border crisis.

Multiple high-level Texas Democrats have also endorsed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Houston, also claiming the Democratic Party no longer represents them. They say they also plan to vote for President Donald Trump in November.