I am stunned—and frankly appalled—that Fort Worth’s self-described “Republican” mayor, Mattie Parker, is openly refusing to vote a straight Republican ticket and is actively endorsing Democrats in critical statewide races just days before the election. Tarrant County is not just another Texas county. It is the last large, urban bastion of conservative governance in the state—a place where families, businesses, and institutions have thrived precisely because Republican leadership has held the line. For the mayor of its largest city to split her ticket, withhold support from Mayes Middleton for Attorney General, and campaign against Bo French for Railroad Commissioner is more than a personal choice. It is a public fracture of the Republican coalition at the exact moment we can least afford it. When a sitting “Republican” mayor uses her platform this close to Election Day to elevate Democrats and undermine her own party’s nominees, she makes it harder—not easier—for Tarrant County to remain conservative. Turnout and margins in this county have never been automatic. Every high-profile defection gives cover to soft Republicans and independents who might otherwise hold the line. That is not leadership; it is political self-interest dressed up as moderation. My great-uncle, the late Judge Kenneth C. Whitely, served Tarrant County for 53 years. He understood that local institutions stay strong only when elected officials put principle and party cohesion ahead of personal branding. He would have called this exactly what it is: a reckless blunder that risks turning a reliably conservative county purple or blue. Those of us who still believe Tarrant County must remain a conservative stronghold at all costs have an obligation to say so plainly. Voters who value limited government, energy independence, and Republican majorities should take note of who is willing to stand with the ticket and who is not. Mattie Parker has made her choice clear. The rest of us should make ours. 📍 (Additionly) context worth noting: her husband was recently listed in ethics filings as connected to data-center industry lobbying, requiring the mayor to address potential conflicts—another example of priorities that appear misaligned with the conservative voters who once trusted her.)