WACO, Texas (KWTX) – A lifelong Republican who recently ran for state Senate said she is endorsing a Democrat for Texas state House over concerns about AI data centers and feeling unheard by her party.
Rena Schroeder, who ran in the Republican primary for state Senate District 22, said she is backing Democrat Ashley Bean Thornton in the race for state House District 56 against Republican incumbent Pat Curry.
Schroeder said she has been a Republican since she could vote and has lived in Central Texas for about 10 years. She runs a nonprofit organization with horses that helps abused children, kids from foster care, people with mental illness and veterans with PTSD.
She said she got in the race to help people struggling with the high cost of managing livestock.
“But once I got my name on the ballot, other things came up like data centers, water issues or aquifer, things like that. So that became my main focus.”
Opposition to data centers
Schroeder said she opposed AI data centers during her campaign but saw support for them from her party.
“I really agree that local and state elections should not be run by Meta or any big tech groups,” Schroeder said. “I really believe that should be up to we the people. I really felt that we the people, our voice is not being heard.”
She said data centers are detrimental to Texas because of water usage.
“Right now we’re going to have to put everything else in the back burner and we’re really going to have to stand up for the data centers because it will destroy,” Schroeder said. “We’re already in a crisis. America is already in a crisis. Texas is already in a crisis where we can barely put food on our table.”
Decision to endorse
Schroeder said her decision to endorse Thornton took time and conversations with her husband, family and friends.
“I really like her. I appreciate her,” Schroeder said. “And she’s on the same boat as I am in the same fight that I want. We care about Texans. We care about our family values. We care about our bank accounts.”
As a conservative, Schroeder said she does not agree with everything Democrats support.
“Are we always going to agree with everything? Not never,” Schroeder said. “Even in a relationship, in a marriage, are you always going to agree? Never. It’s really hard. But I believe we can work on things. We can have better communication, because that’s what I want.”
She said people she spoke with while campaigning were tired of not being heard.
“We want to be heard,” Schroeder said. “People, when I talk to people campaigning, people were tired of not being heard, and like their life didn’t matter.”
Early voting for the primary election runoff begins on Monday.
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