A four-term Democrat Texas state representative who broke with her party and sided with the GOP on bills such as one banning gender-transi...
A four-term Democrat Texas state representative who broke with her party and sided with the GOP on bills such as one banning gender-transitioning surgeries for minors and another designed to remove sexually explicit books from school libraries has announced she will join the Republican Party.
Houston Democrat Shawn Thierry, who lost her seat in a May runoff, announced her decision on Friday.
“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,” she wrote on X.
“For my entire adult life, I have voted as a Democrat. I was raised in a household with my amazing parents who believed the Democratic Party was the party of the people—a beacon of justice and opportunity for all,” she recalled. “But as the years have passed, 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.”
“This is not the party I grew up with,” she continued. “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.”
“And so today, at such a time as thus, I am officially announcing that I am leaving the ranks and rancor of the Democratic Party elite. I now stand with the party of Lincoln, the party that fought to preserve our Union and fought to end the atrocities of slavery. In 2024, the Republican Party champions economic empowerment, by investing in Historically Black colleges and universities like the one I proudly graduated from. It’s the party of parents, believing that they have the fundamental right to determine the best educational environments for their children to learn, grow, and succeed. It is 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. 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. To respect universal truths, and to uphold the rights of biological women as defined by science, nature, and common sense. 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.”
“I know that by making this choice, my choice, I will face relentless attacks, criticism, and mischaracterization,” she wrote. “But I will complete my faith walk. Scripture reminds us in Job 13, ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.’ And so, I trust that God will guide me and cover me as I step into this new chapter of my life. It is time to shift our consciousness from the distractions of personalities to the substance of real policies. I will not be alone; I will be with millions of courageous women and men of good conscience, who are willing to place people over political ideology. So, I will continue to be a change maker and a champion for children. 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.”
In May of last year, Thierry explained why she favored banning minors from receiving transgender medical procedures after the Texas House advanced a bill that would prohibit the practice. She said in a statement that she voted to ban minors from receiving “GnRH-analogs, (i.e. ‘puberty blockers’), cross sex hormones, and to undergo irreversible surgeries when experiencing gender dysphoria” after speaking with constituents and “reviewing the scientific data in this country and around the globe.”
“I am assured that this position is rooted in sound policy which supports the health, development, and overall well-being of minors,” she said.
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