Texas Republican women run much of the state’s political system, from the Legislature to party politics. Women are successful in the conservative movement because they immediately recognize the effects poor fiscal policy has on families across the state. Not only do they strive to protect innocent life, they recognize the importance of guarding liberty, the free market system, and economic opportunity. Their passion drives the grassroots engine forward.
JoAnn Fleming is unequivocally the firebrand of Texas grassroots. She is the founder of Grassroots America, We the People (GAWTP), based in Tyler, Texas. This organization quickly gained statewide influence during the onset of the TEA Party movement. Much of the credit for Ted Cruz’s first Senate victory goes to Fleming.
When the Legislature meets, Fleming keeps a close eye on the gimmicks used by politicians to pass bad policies. She’s rallied the troops around several effective coalition letters that were deployed at critical times in Texas politics. Under Fleming’s leadership, the coalition letters blossomed into a statewide coalition that collectively keeps all levels of government accountable.
The Texas Freedom Caucus also works in conjunction with Fleming and the grassroots to pass conservative legislative priorities and block legislation that would be harmful to Texans. Taxpayers are fortunate to have Fleming, her fiery tenacity, and the conservative coalition in their corner.
Every mother knows how crucial Texas roads are to everyday family life and family budgets. Terri Hall experiences this daily as she transports her 10 children to 4-H and school activities. She’s earned the distinction of a stalwart grassroots leader in her quest to defend Texans’ freedom to travel.
Hall’s efforts began over a decade ago, when she heard about plans to place tolls on a major local freeway. Upon investigation, she discovered a statewide push to double-tax Texans. After organizing fellow concerned citizens, her group Texans for Toll Free Highways was born and now boasts statewide influence.
She enjoyed a significant milestone when Gov. Greg Abbott stated last fall that Texas will not build anymore toll roads. In the 86th Legislative session, her goal is to end perpetual taxation by removing tolls from roads after they are paid for. She utilizes her blog platform to recruit her fellow citizens into the defense of travel liberties.
Brooke Rollins diligently earned her position atop the list of influential Texas women. She directed Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) from obscurity to prominence over the course of 15 years. TPPF actively proves that truth backs up the case for a free market and liberty for all Texans.
Early in President Trump’s presidency, he created the Office of American Innovation (OAI) and appointed Rollins to a position there. Within the OAI, Rollins’ mission is similar to TPPF’s vision: improve Americans’ lives by fueling job creation and economic growth. Her experience is just what the OAI needs. Their mission will benefit from her experience of diligently working over the long term to make a difference for Americans.
Don’t judge RPT Vice Chair Alma Jackson by her demure personality. Before her election, she effectively and strategically utilized the tools offered by the local party. Her avid recruitment of conservative precinct chairs was essential to draft Republican warriors in deep-blue Bexar county. In her current party leadership position, she’s using her experience to mobilize conservative grassroots across the state to make a difference in their communities.
Under former Vice Chair Amy Clark’s leadership, the RPT began to seriously advocate for their values before the 85th Legislature. Clark always leads by example, testifying before legislative committees as she makes the case that Republican values are treasured by Texas families.
Even though she was the outgoing vice chair this year, she spearheaded the passage of priorities for the upcoming 86th Legislative Session. Two of the five priorities her committee passed hinge on fiscal responsibility: property tax reform and ending taxpayer-funded lobbying.
As if she isn’t busy enough, State Sen. Dawn Buckingham also serves as the 2018 Victory Chair for the RPT. The job involves fundraising for Republican candidates. In the Legislature, she advocates for fiscal restraint in healthcare through the lens of her professional experience as a doctor.
In the opposite chamber, Rep. Valoree Swanson proudly represents women in the Freedom Caucus. She consistently advocates for fiscally sound public policy, earning high grades alongside her male counterparts on the Texans for Fiscal Responsibility’s index.
The mid-term Texas Republican ticket features strong females that align with the conservative arsenal in the Legislature. State Sen. Konni Burton, a stay-at-home mom-turned-grassroots rockstar, took back Senate District 10 from disgraced Democrat Wendy Davis.
Burton consistently fights on behalf of those she represents to lower taxes, remove tax-funded lobbyists from the halls of the Capitol, and preserve individual liberty. Her efforts earned her the top slot in the Fiscal Responsibility Index.
Angela Paxton now has the opportunity to join the conservative female stalwarts in the Texas Senate, while Deanna Metzger and Lisa Luby Ryan work to defeat Democrats and take back Dallas-area seats in the Texas House.
The accomplishments of these women barely scratch the surface. Countless women are engaged in the battle to defend taxpayer dollars across the state. They recognize how important it is to enlist fellow Texans in the cause for liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Lone Star States’ economic and ideological achievements point back to women standing in the gap for their beliefs, their families, and all Texans.
