Republican primary runoff candidates came together on Thursday evening to showcase their campaigns, offering a microcosm of the ongoing love-and-war political debate that has been going on in the Texas Legislature.
Held at the fitting venue of Love & War in Texas in Plano, the event provided a platform for candidates to mingle with guests and present their key policy priorities. The atmosphere was charged with energy and enthusiasm as supporters of each candidate cheered their picks on.
Hosted by Plano Young Republicans, the speakers included many notable primary runoff election candidates, including Jace Yarbrough for Texas State Senate District 30; Katrina Pierson for Texas House of Representatives District 33; Ellen Loveless for Collin County Republican Party chair; Joel Petrazio for Texas 401st District Court; Keresa Richardson for Texas House of Representatives District 61; David Blewett for U.S. House Texas District 32; and Darrell Day, who is opposing Blewett for U.S. House Texas District 32. Bradon Gill also spoke at the event. Gill is running in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 26.
The candidates focused primarily on explaining why they were the most suitable contenders for their respective positions. The exception was Pierson, who, instead of highlighting her strengths, solely criticized her opponent.
Yarbrough spoke to The Dallas Express about his views on living by one’s beliefs.
“In what I say and also in the way I live my life, I try to make sure the needs and concerns of others are heard. We need to maintain our moral character,” he said.
Yarbrough said his foundation was built upon God, prayer, reading the Bible, going to church, and Christ. He stressed to DX that “we need to take these things seriously,” noting that the time is now to stand up to moral degeneracy in today’s society.
He spoke to the audience about some of the purported deception happening in the state legislature and the need for voters to stand firm and not be manipulated.
“We have to fight for our values against the institutional takeover — that is how serious the decay in our culture has become. We have to think fundamentally — we have lost our way as a culture,” he said.
Loveless shared Yarbrough’s sentiments about constructing a trustworthy foundation, telling DX, “We can no longer be a watered-down Republican Party. Election integrity is key — without a real election, nothing else matters.”
She further explained to the audience the need for Republicans to communicate effectively, to “be on offense instead of defense,” and to remember that “Jesus is the answer for order, unity, selflessness, generosity, and more.”
Day spoke with DX, stating that he was an “actual conservative” and an “America-first constitutionalist.”
His message to the audience was clear. He said Republican voters “need someone who will articulate conservative values” and will use the U.S. Constitution as a “guiding light on every vote in Washington D.C.”
Conversely, Day’s opponent, Blewett, maintained the need to “represent everybody.” He said he was coming from a “center-right perspective” rather than a “hard-right” angle, telling the audience, “We have to be attractive to the independents.”
“This is a Flight 93 election. If we lose the state, we lose the country,” added Blewett.
Richardson echoed the theme of striving to return to America’s foundational values, telling DX, “The Texas House is dysfunctional. We need new representation that cares about the grassroots and does not want to answer to the lobbyists. I am here to represent the people.”
“Liberal policies are failing, and we are waking up,” Richardson told the audience.
Gill shared Richardson’s sentiments, telling the audience, “I was tired of sitting on the sidelines as the Left was systematically tearing apart our country.”
“We need a government that actually works for American citizens,” added Gill.
Early voting for the primary runoff runs May 20–24, with election day on May 28.
