American Bridge releases their first state legislative “oppo dump” focused on Republican lawmakers’ LGBTQ records, read it here.
Today, American Bridge 21st Century — a progressive opposition research group — released the first in a series of “oppo dumps” targeting vulnerable state-level Republicans. The report targets six lawmakers and includes their legislative record, funders, statements, and questionnaire responses on LGBTQ equality.
“The fight for LGBTQ equality starts in our state legislatures, but for too long these far-right lawmakers have stood in the way of progress,” said Katie Parrish, spokesperson at American Bridge. “Make no mistake, these seats are vulnerable for a reason — these out-of-touch lawmakers refuse to stand up for all Texans. Instead, they’ve championed toxic, discriminatory legislation that harms their own constituents. It’s time to oust these lawmakers who stand in the way of progress and equality.”
Report Highlights:
- Rep. Matt Shaheen (HD-66) — who won by just 391 votes in 2018 — has authored/co-authored/co-sponsored 12 anti-equality bills. He has called LGBTQ organizations a “traveling roadshow” and said we’re “better off” with the discriminatory Chick-Fil-A law.
- Texas State Rep. Jeff Leach (HD-67) — who won by a slim 2.3% margin in 2018 — has authored/co-authored/co-sponsored 22 explicitly anti-LGBTQ bills. He also killed a bill that would have removed the requirement that sex ed curriculum tell children homosexuality is criminal.
American Bridge’s Oppo Dump is a component of the group’s new state legislative program which aims to help Democrats flip the Texas State House through comprehensive candidate research and tracking. The organization will release additional dumps this summer to expose Republican state lawmakers’ records on women’s rights, health care and education.
Published: Jun 25, 2020 | Last Modified: Jul 23, 2020