Montgomery County Republican Party leadership is facing sharp criticism from conservatives after a Democrat picked up a seat on The Woodlands Township Board in the November 7 election. Many Republicans are in shock, and are questioning how a Democrat could manage to win in one of the reddest counties in Texas.
When all the votes were tallied, Democrat Carol Stromatt – a left-wing ideologue who openly supports abortion, sanctuary cities, and Obamacare – won with 55 percent of the vote, defeating incumbent and staunch conservative Laura Fillault.
No Democrat has held a partisan office in Montgomery County since 1995, and Republicans typically win 75-80 percent of the vote in the GOP bastion. However, Stromatt took advantage of a technically “non-partisan”, low turnout election in order to win.
While the Democrat machine went all-in for Stromatt and mobilized supporters to turn out, the Republican Party did absolutely nothing, handing the election to the Democrats. The establishment which controls the MCRP loathes Fillault because she unseated establishment icon Bruce Tough in the 2015 election and is not part of the “Montgomery County swamp”.
Republican County Chair Wally Wilkerson, despite being urged by precinct chairs and activists to rally the GOP behind Fillault, refused. Wilkerson, in his 53rd year as county chair, is a leftover from the old guard, George Bush establishment wing of the party. Dubbed “King Wally” by Karl Rove, he constantly works to undermine Tea Party and social conservatives like Fillault.
Even worse, some establishment Republicans crossed over and voted for Stromatt in revenge for Fillault’s dethroning of Tough. Former board member Mike Bass, who was unseated by a Tea Party challenger in 2016, sported a Stromatt yard sign, while Amy Lampman, who ran unsuccessful on the GOP establishment slate that same year, promoted the Democrat on social media.
The election revealed the Montgomery County Republican establishment for who they are, showing they hate grassroots conservatives so much that they would rather let a progressive activist win than support a true conservative.
“Winning is the goal for the left,” said Texas Patriots PAC President Julie Turner. “Across groups and issues, the left is unified. Until we conservatives together agree to win, more progressives will reach public office.”
