As we gear up for another critical election in Texas this November, it’s a good time to examine the choices voters made in this spring’s primary elections. Thankfully, some of those decisions are already bearing fruit — especially in Texas House District 146, where voters wisely chose labor- and educator-endorsed Lauren Ashley Simmons over incumbent Rep. Shawn Thierry. This November, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and the contrast between Simmons and her opponent couldn’t be more night and day.
Just months after losing her primary, Thierry has resurfaced as the U.S. director of political strategy for Genspect, an international anti-trans organization notorious for its regressive views and reliance on junk science. Genspect’s disturbing agenda includes opposing gender-affirming care for minors, pushing false narratives, and aligning with extreme right-wing groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom, an SPLC-designated hate group.
Thierry’s decision to join such an organization is a continuation of the radical stances she took in last year’s legislative session, where she voted with Texas Republicans on banning gender-affirming care and used increasingly anti-LGTBQ+ and explicitly transphopic rhetoric. Taken together, her words and actions reveal where her true priorities lie — and they certainly aren’t representative of all Texans. These moves are not just a betrayal of her constituents, but a clear indicator of her willingness to undermine basic human rights for political gain.
As the final nail in the coffin – Thierry, once a staunch Democrat, has officially announced she is leaving the party, aligning herself with the GOP. This shift comes after she claimed that the Democratic Party had strayed too far from its roots, becoming “radicalized and increasingly out of touch with the values that millions of everyday Americans hold dear.”
Unlike her predecessor, Lauren Ashley Simmons offers hope for a state that encourages and supports all Texans to thrive.
Simmons, a former Houston Federation of Teachers organizer, has proven to be a steadfast advocate for all Texans. She earned Texas AFT COPE’s endorsement because of her commitment to public education and strengthening the Texas labor movement. While running to represent her Houston community, she has slammed Gov. Greg Abbott’s Houston ISD takeover for “destroying, dismantling public education,” and has protested this takeover alongside the HFT members.
As a Black, queer woman, Simmons has said she lives at the intersection of discrimination based on race, class, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Her personal and professional experiences speak volumes about her priorities in the Texas legislature.
Now more than ever, we need leaders who prioritize inclusion and equity, and who will fight the good fight for the well-being of all Texans.
We can’t afford to sit on the sidelines. Get involved — make your plan to vote, volunteer, and contribute to our union’s political fund. With our collective efforts, we can ensure that Texas continues to move forward, not backward. For more information on this November’s election and to see Texas AFT COPE’s current endorsements, visit vote.texasaft.org.
Together, we can build a future where every Texan can thrive.