Commissioners Court incombant candidate John Yeackle issues statement about his decision to run as a Republican

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11 months ago

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

Uvalde County Commissioner Precinct 1 John Yeackle who is running for re-election for his seat as a Republican responded to the Uvalde Hesperian regarding his decision to switch his political party affiliation from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party Uvalde County Citizen Diana Olvedo-Karau wrote a letter to the editor which was published in a local Uvalde newspaper and on the Uvalde Hesperian questioning the reasonings and motivations of two candidates (including Commissioner Yeackle) for choosing to leave the Democratic Party and run as Republicans in the upcoming March Republican Primary election. Texas will hold its 2024 primary elections on March 5 with early voting beginning on February 20th.

Candidate/Commissioner Yeackle responded saying,

“This is my response to those who question the conservative values of those of us who made the hard decision to switch parties this year.

A person with conservative values, such as myself and many who recently switched party affiliation, does not worry about party affiliations or labels. We live our values daily without concern for how others attempt to define us. We believe unapologetically that small government, low taxes, a strongly enforced border, the right to bear arms, and the right to life are crucial to our nation’s future.

Just because we don’t always agree with you on how best to attain those things (meaning which member of our community is best to achieve those outcomes) doesn’t make us any less conservative.

My record on the Uvalde City Council and the Uvalde County Commissioners Court speaks for itself. Lowering taxes 8 times in 9 years is not a very hardcore liberal position. Being a member of law enforcement and an avid gun owner is not a very hardcore liberal position. Fighting to end government-funded corruption at the Community Council of Southwest Texas and exposing corruption and mismanagement at Uvalde City Hall are not very hardcore liberal positions.

I proposed and drafted the first term limits in Uvalde history, successfully passing them via a special election. Does that sound like a very hardcore liberal position? Some of us have been fighting the good fight long before some of the recently returned or new Uvaldeans arrived.

So maybe you should ask around before falsely labeling people without the facts of our voting history. My voting record is conservative, regardless of which party I chose to choose. We are Uvaldeans above all else, and I have confidence, as always, that the majority of Uvalde will agree with us. I didn’t leave the Democrat Party; it left me when conservatives like myself and our values no longer felt welcome in today’s atmosphere.

I didn’t leave the Democrat Party, it left me when conservatives like myself and our values no longer felt welcome in today’s atmosphere.