Editorials & Other Articles

LetMyPeopleVote

(177,741 posts) Sun Feb 22, 2026, 07:36 PM 16 hrs ago

Texas Republicans have a new campaign strategy -- and a surprisingly retro boogeyman

John Cornyn, Ken Paxton and other GOP candidates for U.S. Senate and state office are stoking Islamophobia.

Link to tweet

https://www.ms.now/opinion/texas-republican-primary-radical-islam-islamophobia

In the run-up to the Texas primaries, the issue taking center stage in the Lone Star State is not affordability, inflation or the border. It’s religion. Specifically, Islam.

What began as a crowded field of Republican hopefuls jockeying for attention has devolved into a campaign of bigotry.

This isn’t fringe language. It’s now part of the mainstream GOP campaigning strategy.

“The Muslim community is the boogeyman for this cycle,” Texas GOP consultant Vinny Minchillo told Politico with disturbing candor. “One hundred percent this message works — there’s no question about it.”

I caught up on a good number of Jeopardy episodes and was getting irked at the number of ads attacking Muslims. Cornyn is desperate but the other candidates are also running these ads.

5 replies

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Texas Republicans have a new campaign strategy -- and a surprisingly retro boogeyman (Original Post) LetMyPeopleVote 16 hrs ago OP

Muslims have been in the Americas since Columbus' time pfitz59 16 hrs ago #1

Don Huffines is running in the Republican primary for State Comptroller. surfered 16 hrs ago #2

Any religion that doesn't fall in line with their slightlv 16 hrs ago #3

Yes, wouldn't be a Republican race without extreme bigotry and someone to hate on LymphocyteLover 14 hrs ago #4

they are recycling the red meat memes for their ignorant base Skittles 11 hrs ago #5

pfitz59

(12,558 posts)

1. Muslims have been in the Americas since Columbus' time

Reply to LetMyPeopleVote (Original post)

Sun Feb 22, 2026, 07:54 PM

16 hrs ago

Jefferson owned a Koran.

surfered

(12,640 posts)

2. Don Huffines is running in the Republican primary for State Comptroller.

Reply to LetMyPeopleVote (Original post)

Sun Feb 22, 2026, 07:59 PM

16 hrs ago

He also bought Epstein’s ranch in New Mexico. He’s running TV commercials promising to “block taxpayer dollars going to Islamic terrorists, illegal aliens, and woke DEI programs.”

He’s covering all the bases.

slightlv

(7,613 posts)

3. Any religion that doesn't fall in line with their

Reply to LetMyPeopleVote (Original post)

Sun Feb 22, 2026, 08:04 PM

16 hrs ago

white nationalist, Dominionist myth is open to degradation and hate. I started out Christian, went my own way after my teens, and during the orange's first foothold in the oval office I ran off a pair of Jehovah Witnesses from my front porch... telling them, specifically, that any religion that embraced donald trump was an evil I did not want to be associated with. They seemed taken aback for a minute, but I saw a glimpse that I was not the only one to give them that type of reception in the neighborhood. It used to be I'd invite them in and have an interesting religious discussion. No more. And especially not after the Catholic and Baptist Churches entrenchment in pedophilia. I know they're not the only ones... and I know there are people of other religions just as guilty, no doubt. "Religion" is the people in the church... and they're the ones who are the hypocrites. Give me spiritual seekers for my in-depth discussions any day.

LymphocyteLover

(9,654 posts)

4. Yes, wouldn't be a Republican race without extreme bigotry and someone to hate on

Reply to LetMyPeopleVote (Original post)

Sun Feb 22, 2026, 09:20 PM

14 hrs ago

they are just a poisonous force in our politics

Skittles

(170,521 posts)

5. they are recycling the red meat memes for their ignorant base

Reply to LetMyPeopleVote (Original post)

Mon Feb 23, 2026, 12:14 AM

11 hrs ago

that is good news because it would appear they are running out of bullshit to make up

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