Queer Black Woman Defeats Incumbent in Texas House Primary Runoff

In a stunning upset, Lauren Ashley Simmons, a queer Black woman, has defeated incumbent Shawn Thierry in the Texas House primary runoff. Thierry, who broke with her fellow Democrats to support a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, was ousted by Simmons by a margin of 65 percent to 35 percent.

The victory for Simmons in Texas House District 146, located in Houston, marks a significant win for LGBTQ+ rights and progressive values. Thierry, who served four terms in the House, faced backlash from Democratic colleagues after defending the proposed ban on gender-affirming care for minors in a speech on the House floor last year.

Simmons, a shop steward and organizer with the Communications Workers of America labor union, comes from a family with a history of activism. Her priorities in the legislature will include support for public schools, health care, and a living wage.

The race between Simmons and Thierry emerged as a test of whether Democratic lawmakers who do not fully support LGBTQ+ causes can remain in good standing with their own party’s voters. In this case, the answer was a resounding no, as Simmons’s victory signals a rejection of bigoted politics and a call for better representation in District 146.

Endorsed by Victory Fund, Equality Texas, and the Human Rights Campaign’s political action committee, Simmons is poised to bring a fierce advocacy for equality and justice to the Texas House. Her win has been celebrated by LGBTQ+ advocates and progressive leaders, who see her victory as a step towards making Houston a more welcoming place for everyone.