Tarrant County Young Republicans Chair Resigns Over GOP Candidates

Hillary Shepheard, chair of the Young Republicans in Tarrant County, Texas, resigned from her position and the board of the Texas Young Republicans Federation on Saturday. The resignation followed an interview with The Atlantic in which Shepheard announced she would leave her ballot blank for the U.S. Senate race rather than vote for Republican Ken Paxton, and would support Democrat Jon Rosenthal over Republican Bo French for the Railroad Commission.

Shepheard cited the character of the candidates as the primary driver of her decision. She specifically pointed to Bo French, noting that he had made racist comments and called for the lynching of Barack Obama. She argued that the Republican Party needs a wakeup call regarding candidate character and principles of limited government.

The resignation was prompted by the Texas Young Republicans Federation constitution, which prohibits board members from publicly stating an intention to vote for non-Republican candidates in partisan races. Shepheard stated she was previously unaware of the provision but stepped down to ensure her club maintained a full voting voice on the board.

Shepheard is not the only local official to break with the party. Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker also supported Democratic candidates, including Rosenthal, citing French's focus on cultural divisions over energy and economic interests.