Multiple Republican lawmakers in Texas lost their primaries after a push to force out school choice opponents from the state legislature.
Texas Republican primaries on Tuesday saw nine incumbents defeated and eight forced into runoffs, according to The Texas Newsroom. Eleven other incumbents chose not to run for re-election.
Of those opposed to school choice and challenged by the group American Federation for Children (AFC) Victory Fund, six incumbents lost their elections and four more were “forced to runoffs,” school choice advocate Corey DeAngelis wrote on Twitter. (RELATED: Red State Legislature Rejects School Choice Proposal, Removes It From Education Bill)
Last night was a mandate for school choice in Texas.
A bloodbath.
6 anti-school choice incumbents were ousted.
4 more were forced to runoffs
77% of the incumbents we challenged lost or were forced to runoffs
The largest political shift towards school choice in Texas history. pic.twitter.com/BnxoCQV0FX
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) March 6, 2024
In November 2023, the Texas House of Representatives voted to remove the school choice proposal from its education bill, according to the legislature’s website. Twenty-one Republicans joined the Democrats to remove the proposal from the bill, it noted.
AFC Victory Fund targeted 13 incumbents, according to its president, Tommy Schultz.
March 5 2024 was a political earthquake for school choice in Texas.
We defeated 6 incumbents and pushed 4 to a runoff.
Forcing 10/13 (77%) incumbents we targeted toward their political doom is unheard of.
This is the biggest state politics story in the last generation.
— Tommy Schultz (@Tommy_USA) March 6, 2024
AFC Victory Fund released a statement celebrating “the largest political shift towards school choice in Texas.”
“The results are clear: Texans want school choice,” the statement read.
Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton also endorsed school choice candidates, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
“Texans are one step closer to empowering every Texas family,” Abbott said in a statement, shared by Brad Johnson of The Texan on Twitter. “Republican primary voters have once again sent an unmistakable message that parents deserve the freedom to choose the best education pathway for their child.”
.@GregAbbott_TX victory lap on his #txlege House wins:
“Texans are one step closer to empowering every Texas family. Republican primary voters have once again sent an unmistakable message that parents deserve the freedom to choose the best education pathway for their child.” pic.twitter.com/BZd0fzpv4I
— Brad Johnson (@bradj_TX) March 6, 2024
“This election was a total bloodbath and a mandate for school choice in Texas,” DeAngelis told The Daily Caller. “School choice was the main dividing line in all of these races. It is already sending shockwaves all across the country and the message is clear: Education freedom is a political winner and a GOP litmus test issue.”
AFC told The Daily Caller that its “work is not finished” as they prepare for runoffs.
“We will continue ensuring that voters see clearly which candidates side with union-controlled special interests, and which will represent the interests of Texas students and families,” Schultz said.
Valeria Gurr, a Senior Fellow for AFC told The Daily Caller that these “election results are significant for families waiting for school choice” as these prove “voters are paying attention to candidates who support education and not the status quo.”