Shawn Thierry explains her switch to Republican Party after facing defeat in Democratic primary

HOUSTON, TEXAS: State Representative Shawn Thierry of Houston announced on Friday, August 30, that she is switching to the Republican Party after she lost in the Democratic primary.

The Texas state lawmaker was defeated after she supported the anti-transgender bills, according to HuffPost.

Shawn Thierry's party switch

Shawn Thierry cited her dissatisfaction with the direction of the Democratic Party as the primary reason for her decision, stating, "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."

In May, she was ousted in a primary runoff after siding with Republican-backed bills that targeted the transgender community.

Thierry voted in favor of a measure that bans gender-affirming care for minors and supported another bill requiring trans college athletes to participate on teams corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. 

However, the measures have been highly controversial and have drawn criticism from civil rights groups and progressive lawmakers.

The Texas ACLU condemned the ban on transgender athletes in sports as “unfair, unconstitutional, and just plain cruel,” following its enactment in June by Republican Governor Gregg Abbot.

Democratic colleagues criticize Shawn Thierry's party switch

Shawn Thierry's switch to the Republican Party has been met with criticism from her Democratic colleagues.

Expressing disapproval in a statement to the Texas Tribune, State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer said that Thierry has “chosen to continue to betray the values and priorities of her constituents.”

“If Thierry looks at a party taking away the freedom for women to control their bodies, cutting healthcare for millions, and led by a racist, petty convict and says I want in on that mess, I think that says more about Shawn Thierry than about the Democratic Party. Adios,” said Fischer.

Internet divided over Shawn Thierry's party switch

As Shawn Thierry announced she is switching to the Republican Party after losing in the Democratic primary, netizens doubled down on the Texas lawmaker's decision.

One user on X wrote, "Welcome. Proud of you. People will talk, let them. What they have to say doesn’t matter." Another tweeted, "Lol! No worries, Shawn. You lost your primary. Makes total sense you’d wanna join the other losers."

"Thank you for having the courage to make a change!" a netizen commented. Someone penned, "You should return any donations Democrats gave you to get elected. Traitors & Turncoats."

"I had respect for you in the past. You had all these women’s health initiatives. You just joined the party that took away our rights to our own bodies. I have absolutely no respect for you now," an individual opined. Another user remarked, "Welcome to the Unity movement. Happy that you were able to escape the cult."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.