State Rep. Shawn Thierry, a Houston Democrat who broke party lines last year and voted with Republicans in support of bills viewed as attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, likely is headed to a runoff and could potentially be unseated outright based on the results of Tuesday’s primary elections.
Thierry received 44.4% of the votes cast in the Democratic primary for Texas House District 146, a solidly blue district that includes parts of south and southwest Houston, according to unofficial results released by the Harris County Clerk’s Office. She finished behind challenger Lauren Ashley Simmons, who garnered 49.5% of the vote, with candidates needing a majority to avoid a runoff.
The result was not unexpected, according to University of Houston political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus, who said Thierry surprised fellow lawmakers and her constituents when she voiced support for Senate Bill 14, the Republican-priority legislation that would ban gender-transitioning healthcare for minors in the state. Thierry also voted in support of a law prohibiting certain books from school libraries, which was viewed as discriminatory toward literature with LGBTQ+ themes, as well as a bill prohibiting collegiate athletes from competing on teams that do not align their gender at birth.
Thierry’s votes upset fellow Democrats and prompted primary challenges from the party’s more progressive wing, with Houston Black Lives Matter activist Ashton Woods also running and finishing a distance third. Thierry, first elected in 2016, also drew support from Republicans.
“This outcome is really a consequence of gerrymandering,” Rottinghaus said. “When politicians deviate from the party line, they’re more likely to get a rebuke from somebody in their party. She ended up with a pretty well-financed opponent, and that was enough to push her into a runoff.”
Requests to interview Thierry or a representative of her campaign, made through her campaign as well as her office at the Texas Capitol in Austin, were not granted before publication.
Grant Martin, a political consultant for Simmons, was not ready to say Wednesday that the race is headed for a May 28 runoff. Because votes have yet to be canvassed and provisional ballots are still being counted, he said it remained possible that Simmons could win outright.
Whichever Democrat wins the primary will face Republican Lance York, who was unopposed in his primary, in the November general election.
Martin said the campaign for Simmons has been building momentum as more voters in District 146 learn about Thierry’s recent voting record and the financial support her campaign has received from conservatives such as Doug Deason, a Dallas billionaire. Simmons also endorsements from local workers unions and teachers unions, the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus and fellow Democrats such as former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, Houston City Controller Chris Hollins and state Reps. Jessica Gonzalez and Gene Wu.
“It’s a Democratic primary, and you’re electing a Democrat to represent their Democratic values,” Martin said. “If a person doesn’t represent them anymore, it just makes common sense they’re going to vote for someone who will.”
Thierry was not the only Democrat in the statehouse to vote with Republicans in support of some of the aforementioned legislation, with state Rep. Harold Dutton of House District 142 being another. Dutton drew three primary challengers in his district, which represents parts of east and northeast Houston, but easily held them off by receiving 60.5% of the vote.
If Tuesday’s unofficial results remain unchanged and there’s a District 146 runoff between Simmons and Thierry, Rottinghaus said it could be difficult for the embattled incumbent to prevail. A big question for Thierry is whether she continues to receive support from the political right, according to Rottinghaus.
“She could have lost outright, which wouldn’t have been that surprising,” he said. “Now she’s got a chance to be able to convince voters she’s the right person, but she’s going to have a harder time. This will be a very visible race for Democrats, who now have fewer races on which to focus. It will be one of few Democratic runoffs, and lots of progressive money and activists will be on this district.”
Culled from the Houston Public Media
