New evidence shows North Texas congressional candidate Josh Winegarner’s family gave money to a Democrat U.S. senator who supports pro-abortion causes.
According to Federal Election Commission records, the Winegarner family contributed $250 to the general election campaign of Arkansas Democrat Blanche Lincoln in 2010. The contribution was made in the name of Winegarner’s wife, Jenni, who listed her occupation on the receipt as political director for U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry’s campaign. Thornberry has endorsed Winegarner—a lobbyist-turned-politician—in his current campaign for the 13th Congressional District seat.
The Winegarners have been politically involved in the Amarillo area for some time, with Jenni Winegarner being appointed to a seat on the Canyon ISD Board of Trustees in 2019 before winning the remainder of the term in a special election later that year.
This congressional race marks the first time Josh Winegarner has placed his name on the ballot in a contested election.
News of the contribution broke over the weekend in Texas’ 13th Congressional District by conservative activists and supporters of Winegarner’s opponent, retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson. Jackson’s supporters pointed out how Lincoln supported pro-abortion causes during her tenure in the U.S. Senate.
Jason Foglesong, a former Republican candidate for the 13th Congressional District seat, blasted Winegarner’s donation in a statement to Texas Scorecard:
“I think that the things Blanche Lincoln stands for are morally reprehensible and directly conflict with the conservative Christian values the Winegarner campaign espouses,” Foglesong said. “As a fellow Republican and former candidate, I find this deeply troubling.”
However, in a statement to Texas Scorecard, Winegarner said he is pro-life and took aim at his opponent for the recent donation criticism.
“I am 100 percent pro-life. I always have been. So is my wife. This is a new low for the Jackson camp—attempting to discredit me by cowardly attacking my wife for attending a meeting of farmers and ranchers in Lubbock in 2010 with the then-chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee to discuss agriculture and rural issues important to our area,” Winegarner said.
The donation to Lincoln’s campaign is of particular interest as Winegarner’s associations with Democrat politicians through his work with the Texas Cattle Feeders Association have come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks by Jackson.
Jackson has pointed out at several forums the support the TCFA has offered to Democrats such as U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio) while Winegarner was the organization’s government relations director. Winegarner has denied responsibility for the contributions to Democrats through the TCFA’s BEEF-PAC.
Voters are set to decide this Republican runoff election between Winegarner and Jackson on July 14.
