Republican Party of Texas

AUSTIN – Republican Party of Texas Chairman Steve Munisteri urged his party’s nominees for State Board of Education in Districts 5 and 10 to not accept invitations to debate from the Austin Chapter of the League of Women Voters (LWV), citing their organization’s leadership ties to the Democratic Party, to Democrat candidates in these races, and for financially supporting the Democratic Party and its candidates.

“In Austin, the League of Women Voters should really be called the ‘League of Women Democrats,’” Munisteri said. “Their elected officers and debate committee members have voted in multiple Democrat primaries and have donated thousands of dollars to Democratic Party committees and their candidates, including to the two Democrat candidates in these contests.”

“How can the Austin Chapter of the LWV claim to be non-partisan when there are no Republicans among their elected officers or on their debate committee?” Munisteri stated, “There are over 475,000 women living in Travis County and yet they cannot find a single Republican woman to be involved with their organization or with this process?”

“I’ve been involved in Texas politics for over 30 years and I’ve seen the political process stacked at times, but this is ridiculous.  What makes this so disingenuous is that it’s being done under the banner of a supposedly non-partisan group.  But there’s nothing non-partisan about the people organizing this proposed debate,” he said.

“For these reasons, I am urging Ken Mercer, State Board of Education Member, District 5 and Dr. Marsha Farney, Republican nominee for State Board of Education, District 10, to seek an alternative debate sponsor whose political credentials will assure voters that the debate and the debate sponsor are fair, impartial and nonpartisan,” Munisteri stated.

“I respect the LWV’s right to participate in the political process, but their liberal views and the ties of their leadership to the Democratic Party and Democrat candidates make them unsuitable and unqualified to serve as a neutral, non-partisan debate sponsor,” Munisteri said.

Attached is a summary of the vote history of the elected officers and debate committee of the  Austin Chapter of the League of Women Voters as well as other noted activity and ties to the Democrat Party and to Democrat candidates:

###

Press Contact: Bryan Preston, (512) 879-4062, bpreston@texasgop.org