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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
She said she got in the race to help people struggling with the high cost of managing livestock.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Opposition to data centers<\/p>\n
Schroeder said she opposed AI data centers during her campaign but saw support for them from her party.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really agree that local and state elections should not be run by Meta or any big tech groups,\u201d Schroeder said. \u201cI really believe that should be up to we the people. I really felt that we the people, our voice is not being heard.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said data centers are detrimental to Texas because of water usage.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now we\u2019re going to have to put everything else in the back burner and we\u2019re really going to have to stand up for the data centers because it will destroy,\u201d Schroeder said. \u201cWe\u2019re 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Decision to endorse<\/p>\n
Schroeder said her decision to endorse Thornton took time and conversations with her husband, family and friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really like her. I appreciate her,\u201d Schroeder said. \u201cAnd she\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
As a conservative, Schroeder said she does not agree with everything Democrats support.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre we always going to agree with everything? Not never,\u201d Schroeder said. \u201cEven in a relationship, in a marriage, are you always going to agree? Never. It\u2019s really hard. But I believe we can work on things. We can have better communication, because that\u2019s what I want.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said people she spoke with while campaigning were tired of not being heard.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to be heard,\u201d Schroeder said. \u201cPeople, when I talk to people campaigning, people were tired of not being heard, and like their life didn\u2019t matter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Early voting for the primary election runoff begins on Monday.<\/p>\n
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