In a dramatic political shift, Texas State Representative Shawn Thierry announced her decision to leave the Democratic Party and join the GOP, citing her disapproval of the party’s increasingly liberal policies, particularly on issues like sex change surgeries for minors and Title IX protections for female athletes.
Thierry made the announcement at the Moms for Liberty summit in Washington, D.C., declaring that the Democratic Party she once knew has become “unrecognizable” and out of touch with the values of many Americans.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott welcomed Thierry to the GOP, saying on X, “Proud to welcome Rep.@ShawnieT146 to the Republican Party! Democrats abandoned her after she supported a law I signed to protect Texas children. The radical leftist agenda doesn’t align with most Americans. Look forward to working with Rep. Thierry to build a brighter future.”
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“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,” said Thierry.
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“As the years have passed, I have watched with dismay as the party I once knew has drifted far from its roots,” Thierry said. “It has become almost unrecognizable—radicalized and increasingly out of touch with the values that millions of everyday Americans hold dear.”
Thierry, who lost her bid for a fifth term in the May primaries, has faced backlash from her former party for supporting conservative legislation.
She now aligns with the Republican Party, which she says better represents her commitment to economic empowerment and parental rights in education.
“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,” she said.
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“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,” Thierry said in her statement.
“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,” she concluded.
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