Macie Kelly/Houston Public Media

Houston Democratic Rep. Shawn Thierry announced Friday that she is leaving the party and joining the Republican Party.

Thierry was ousted in a runoff election in Texas District 146 in May to challenger Lauren Ashley Simmons. She made enemies within the political party last year after supporting Republican-backed legislation banning gender-affirming care for minors.

In a statement, Thierry said she could no longer support the Democratic Party, which “has drifted so far to the left, so deep into the progressive abyss, that it now advocates policies that I cannot in good conscience support.”

Thierry reiterated her condemnation of policies “such as promoting gender transitions for vulnerable children and dismantling protections for women in sports under Title IX.”

“That’s why I’m leaving the left and joining the party of family, faith and freedom,” she said. “I now stand with colleagues, friends, neighbors, wives and mothers in the Republican Party.”

Thierry voted last year in favor of legislation that would ban certain books from school libraries and ban Texas college athletes from competing on teams whose gender does not match their birth gender.

Her outspoken support for conservative legislation shocked Democrats and won the support of Republicans.

RELATED: Lauren Ashley Simmons looks forward to Texas Capitol after defeating State Rep. Shawn Thierry in lopsided primary runoff

Texas Governor Greg Abbott praised Thierry’s announcement on Friday, welcoming the Houston Democrat to the party “with open arms.”

Proud to welcome Rep. @ShawnieT146 to the Republican Party!

Democrats abandoned her after she supported a bill I signed to protect children in Texas.

The agenda of the radical left is not to the taste of most Americans.

I look forward to working with Rep. Thierry to build a better future. photo.twitter.com/ZImg0v7DOO

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 30, 2024

“Rep. Thierry served four terms in the Texas Legislature until the Democratic Party abandoned her after she delivered a 12-minute speech on the House floor in support of a bill I signed to protect Texas children,” Abbott said.

He said her decision to switch parties shows that the Democratic Party “does not resonate with the majority of Americans.”

Democratic Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer said Thierry’s decision to leave the party and “join a group with ties to white nationalism” “continues to betray the values ​​and priorities of her constituents — once again putting money and title over principle.”

“She was dismissed by the voters of constituency 146 because she did not respect their will and what they wanted for their community,” he said.