Shawn Thierry

Texas politician

Shawn Nicole Thierry
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 146th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 10, 2017
Preceded byBorris Miles
Personal details
Born (1969-08-06) August 6, 1969 (age 55)[1]
Political partyRepublican
Other political
affiliations		Democratic (until 2024)
Residence(s)Houston, Texas, U.S.
Alma materHoward University (BA)
Texas Southern University (JD)[2]
OccupationAttorney

Shawn Nicole Thierry (born August 6, 1969) is an American politician. She is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives, after an August 30, 2024 switch from the Democratic Party,[3] representing the 146th District. She won the November 2016 general election and was sworn into office on January 10, 2017.[4] She lost her re-election bid for her Texas House seat on May 28, 2024 after being defeated by Lauren Simmons by 65% to 35% in the Democratic primary runoff.[5] Thierry was an unsuccessful candidate for the 57th Civil District Court in 2010.[6]

Positions

In April 2023, Thierry voted in favor of HB 900, to ban books from public schools deemed "sexually explicit". The bill was heavily criticized by LGBT advocates for including books containing reference to LGBT topics in its definition of sexually explicit.[7][8]

In May of that year, Thierry broke ranks with her party to vote in favor of a bill to ban gender affirming care for trans minors.[9][10][11] She has also voted in favor of bans on trans women from women's sports.[12]

On March 5, 2024, Thierry came in second in the primary elections to her challenger, Lauren Ashley Simmons, a queer union organizer who ran in opposition to Thierry's anti-LGBT votes and activism,[13][14] and was forced into a run-off. On May 28, 2024, Thierry was defeated by Simmons, having received 35.4% of the vote.[15] After losing her re-election bid, Thierry joined the American wing of the gender-critical group Genspect as the director of political strategy.[16] On August 30, 2024, Thierry officially announced that she would be leaving the Democratic Party and joining the Republican Party, mainly due to her defeat in the Democratic primary and the Democratic Party continuing to support gender-affirming care for minors and trans women competing in women's sports.[3] Thierry further discussed her decision to leave the Democratic Party at the 2024 national summit for the right-wing group Moms for Liberty.[17]

Personal life

Thierry is a former Catholic and practicing Southern Baptist.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Rep. Shawn Thierry - Texas State Directory Online".
  2. ^ "Rep. Shawn Thierry (R)". Texas State Directory. September 2, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  3. ^ a b DuPree, Will (August 30, 2024). "Houston lawmaker switches parties after Democratic primary loss". KXAN-TV. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  4. ^ Svitek, Patrick (August 6, 2016). "Attorney Wins Democratic Nod to Replace Rep. Borris Miles". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  5. ^ Texas Election Results Tracker: May 28, 2024 Runoff Election, The Texan, May 28, 2024.
  6. ^ Kuffner, Charles (June 21, 2016). "Kuff's World Judicial Q&A revisited: Shawn Thierry". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  7. ^ Dey, Sneha (April 19, 2023). "Texas House passes bill that aims to keep sexually explicit materials out of school libraries". The Texas Tribune.
  8. ^ Lewis, Ricardo (April 19, 2023). "TX House initially passes bill that keeps sexually explicit books out of school libraries". CBS News.
  9. ^ Nguyen, Alex; Melhado, William (May 12, 2023). "Pivotal House vote moves Texas closer to banning puberty blockers, hormone treatments for trans kids". The Texas Tribune.
  10. ^ Nguyen, Alex; Melhado, William (May 15, 2023). "Texas moves closer to banning puberty blockers for trans kids". CBS News.
  11. ^ McGaughy, Lauren (May 12, 2023). "Texas is one step from banning gender affirming medical care for transgender youth". The Dallas Morning News.
  12. ^ Goldenstein, Taylor (June 10, 2023). "Houston Democrat's support of transgender care ban, anti-LGBTQ measures has roiled the party". Houston Chronicle.
  13. ^ Reed, Erin (May 29, 2024). "Anti-trans Texas Democrat loses primary to queer woman". Washington Blade. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  14. ^ Zuvanich, Adam (March 6, 2024). "State Rep. Shawn Thierry, a Houston Democrat who voted with Republicans on anti-LGBTQ+ bills, headed to likely primary runoff". Houston Public Media.
  15. ^ Goldenstein, Taylor. "Lauren Ashley Simmons defeats Houston state Rep. Shawn Thierry". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  16. ^ Downen, Robert (August 22, 2024). "Rep. Shawn Thierry joins anti-trans policy group after losing Democratic primary". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  17. ^ Goldenstein, Taylor (August 30, 2024). "Outgoing Houston state Rep. Shawn Thierry says she's joining the GOP". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  18. ^ Wagner, Bayliss. "State Rep. Shawn Thierry switches to GOP, says Dems have veered into 'progressive abyss'". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
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  • Shawn Thierry at the Texas Tribune
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88th Texas Legislature (2023)
Speaker of the House
Dade Phelan (R)
Speaker pro tempore
Charlie Geren (R)
  1. ▌Gary VanDeaver (R)
  2. ▌Jill Dutton (R)
  3. ▌Cecil Bell Jr. (R)
  4. ▌Keith Bell (R)
  5. ▌Cole Hefner (R)
  6. ▌Matt Schaefer (R)
  7. ▌Jay Dean (R)
  8. ▌Cody Harris (R)
  9. ▌Trent Ashby (R)
  10. ▌Brian Harrison (R)
  11. ▌Travis Clardy (R)
  12. ▌Kyle Kacal (R)
  13. ▌Angelia Orr (R)
  14. ▌John N. Raney (R)
  15. ▌Steve Toth (R)
  16. ▌Will Metcalf (R)
  17. ▌Stan Gerdes (R)
  18. ▌Ernest Bailes (R)
  19. ▌Ellen Troxclair (R)
  20. ▌Terry Wilson (R)
  21. ▌Dade Phelan (R)
  22. ▌Christian Manuel (D)
  23. ▌Terri Leo-Wilson (R)
  24. ▌Greg Bonnen (R)
  25. ▌Cody Vasut (R)
  26. ▌Jacey Jetton (R)
  27. ▌Ron Reynolds (D)
  28. ▌Gary Gates (R)
  29. ▌Ed Thompson (R)
  30. ▌Geanie Morrison (R)
  31. ▌Ryan Guillen (R)
  32. ▌Todd Ames Hunter (R)
  33. ▌Justin Holland (R)
  34. ▌Abel Herrero (D)
  35. ▌Oscar Longoria (D)
  36. ▌Sergio Muñoz Jr. (D)
  37. ▌Janie Lopez (R)
  38. ▌Erin Gamez (D)
  39. ▌Armando Martinez (D)
  40. ▌Terry Canales (D)
  41. ▌Robert Guerra (D)
  42. ▌Richard Raymond (D)
  43. ▌J. M. Lozano (R)
  44. ▌John Kuempel (R)
  45. ▌Erin Zwiener (D)
  46. ▌Sheryl Cole (D)
  47. ▌Vikki Goodwin (D)
  48. ▌Donna Howard (D)
  49. ▌Gina Hinojosa (D)
  50. ▌James Talarico (D)
  51. ▌Lulu Flores (D)
  52. ▌Caroline Harris (R)
  53. ▌Andrew Murr (R)
  54. ▌Brad Buckley (R)
  55. ▌Hugh Shine (R)
  56. ▌Vacant
  57. ▌Richard Hayes (R)
  58. ▌DeWayne Burns (R)
  59. ▌Shelby Slawson (R)
  60. ▌Glenn Rogers (R)
  61. ▌Frederick Frazier (R)
  62. ▌Reggie Smith (R)
  63. ▌Ben Bumgarner (R)
  64. ▌Lynn Stucky (R)
  65. ▌Kronda Thimesch (R)
  66. ▌Matt Shaheen (R)
  67. ▌Jeff Leach (R)
  68. ▌David Spiller (R)
  69. ▌James Frank (R)
  70. ▌Mihaela Plesa (D)
  71. ▌Stan Lambert (R)
  72. ▌Drew Darby (R)
  73. ▌Carrie Isaac (R)
  74. ▌Eddie Morales (D)
  75. ▌Mary González (D)
  76. ▌Suleman Lalani (D)
  77. ▌Evelina Ortega (D)
  78. ▌Joe Moody (D)
  79. ▌Claudia Ordaz (D)
  80. ▌Tracy King (D)
  81. ▌Brooks Landgraf (R)
  82. ▌Tom Craddick (R)
  83. ▌Dustin Burrows (R)
  84. ▌Carl Tepper (R)
  85. ▌Stan Kitzman (R)
  86. ▌John T. Smithee (R)
  87. ▌Four Price (R)
  88. ▌Ken King (R)
  89. ▌Candy Noble (R)
  90. ▌Ramon Romero Jr. (D)
  91. ▌Stephanie Klick (R)
  92. ▌Salman Bhojani (D)
  93. ▌Nate Schatzline (R)
  94. ▌Tony Tinderholt (R)
  95. ▌Nicole Collier (D)
  96. ▌David Cook (R)
  97. ▌Craig Goldman (R)
  98. ▌Giovanni Capriglione (R)
  99. ▌Charlie Geren (R)
  100. ▌Venton Jones (D)
  101. ▌Chris Turner (D)
  102. ▌Ana-Maria Ramos (D)
  103. ▌Rafael Anchía (D)
  104. ▌Jessica González (D)
  105. ▌Terry Meza (D)
  106. ▌Jared Patterson (R)
  107. ▌Victoria Neave (D)
  108. ▌Morgan Meyer (R)
  109. ▌Carl O. Sherman (D)
  110. ▌Toni Rose (D)
  111. ▌Yvonne Davis (D)
  112. ▌Angie Chen Button (R)
  113. ▌Rhetta Bowers (D)
  114. ▌John Bryant (D)
  115. ▌Julie Johnson (D)
  116. ▌Trey Martinez Fischer (D)
  117. ▌Philip Cortez (D)
  118. ▌John Lujan (R)
  119. ▌Elizabeth Campos (D)
  120. ▌Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D)
  121. ▌Steve Allison (R)
  122. ▌Mark Dorazio (R)
  123. ▌Diego Bernal (D)
  124. ▌Josey Garcia (D)
  125. ▌Ray Lopez (D)
  126. ▌Sam Harless (R)
  127. ▌Charles Cunningham (R)
  128. ▌Briscoe Cain (R)
  129. ▌Dennis Paul (R)
  130. ▌Tom Oliverson (R)
  131. ▌Alma Allen (D)
  132. ▌Mike Schofield (R)
  133. ▌Mano DeAyala (R)
  134. ▌Ann Johnson (D)
  135. ▌Jon Rosenthal (D)
  136. ▌John Bucy III (D)
  137. ▌Gene Wu (D)
  138. ▌Lacey Hull (R)
  139. ▌Jarvis Johnson (D)
  140. ▌Armando Walle (D)
  141. ▌Senfronia Thompson (D)
  142. ▌Harold Dutton Jr. (D)
  143. ▌Ana Hernandez (D)
  144. ▌Mary Ann Perez (D)
  145. ▌Christina Morales (D)
  146. ▌Shawn Thierry (R)
  147. ▌Jolanda Jones (D)
  148. ▌Penny Morales Shaw (D)
  149. ▌Hubert Vo (D)
  150. ▌Valoree Swanson (R)