The gathering, which was held in El Paso from Thursday through Saturday, was supposed to be an opportunity for Texas Democrats to band together and craft their platform ahead of the November election, but that was not accomplished.
"While some may argue that reading a book to children in a full length, long sleeved, hot pink gown and cotton candy colored wig is inappropriate, the truth is that children are safer at a drag story time than at their own schools," keynote speaker (pictured above) "Brigette Bandit," a woman dressed as a man dressed as a woman, declared from the stage.
Though her speech, which went on to promote mutilative surgeries and gender manipulative drugs for children, did invite some dandy Texas hootin' and hollerin', Mary Elizabeth Castle of Texas Values does not think her message enjoys the support of grassroots voters.
"I believe most Texans agree that having drag queens perform or read in front of children is unacceptable behavior, and I think that goes across party lines," she tells AFN. "The fact that the Democratic Party in Texas thinks that's appropriate to push at their convention is just absurd."
And in this case, it gained the party nothing.
As far as conducting business, delegates were to decide on a proposed new rule to add a "no preference" option to the presidential primary ballot. However, when it came time for a vote on that and the party platform, too many attendees had already left. So, Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa ruled there was a lack of a quorum, and for the second year in a row, the convention ended early without approving a platform.
According to Texas Scorecard, party leadership appeared to be the force trying to shut the convention down early ahead of a debate on the new rule.
