Austinites call out lip service, empty promises of Texas House District 47 Democrat candidate amid wave of religious, racial intimidation
AUSTIN, Texas – A disturbing pattern of performative misrepresentation, self-aggrandizement, and pandering became apparent to Texas House District 47 voters over this weekend as Democratic nominee Pooja Sethi introduced James Talarico.
During a rally for Rep. Talarico at the University of Texas at Austin, Sethi goaded attendees saying:
"We are facing a far-right ticket that is running on hate, fear, and division, and I'm sick and tired of politicians who call themselves patriots while treating their neighbors like enemies [...] We are still watching political leaders attack communities because of who they are, where they come from, and how they worship.”
Yikes.
Yet on numerous occasions, Sethi has failed to take action in the face of some of the most egregious threats to public safety, religious freedom, and racial diversity Texas has seen in decades.
‘WHO THEY ARE'
Demonstrations supporting Palestinian separatists turned chaotic at that same University of Texas campus in spring 2024 as protesters and students clashed with school officials and law enforcement. More than a hundred people were arrested, per numerous local media sources. Leaders accused demonstrators of trying to disrupt campus, while protesters criticized police use of force.
At that time Sethi was the elected Chair of the Travis County Democratic Party and Chief of Staff for state Rep. Vikki Goodwin. The then-chair of the Travis County Republican Party and its executive committee had already called for the release of hostages taken during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel. Sethi was apparently silent. Contrast this to the immediate response of then-Councilwoman Mackenzie Kelly: “Every student at UT deserves to feel safe. And while I strongly support the First Amendment, protests which seek to scare, threaten and intimidate Jewish Austinites solely on the basis of their religious ethnicity is abhorrent”.
‘WHERE THEY COME FROM’
Bipartisan efforts in the Texas legislature culminated in an overwhelming passage (134-2) of SB 326, concerning the procedure for determining whether a student's violation of a public school or college student code of conduct was motivated by antisemitism. Democratic Rep. Jon Rosenthal offered an amendment reaffirming free speech rights. And it could not have come at a more opportune time for West Austin: During the special session that summer, threatening flyers were left anonymously around Steiner Ranch and Apache Shores. Sethi and Goodwin were among only eight legislative offices to vote against this bipartisan bill on the House floor (although Goodwin later wrote her intention was to vote present/not voting on final reading and that she was absent for the second reading).
‘HOW THEY WORSHIP’
Antisemitism and religious intimidation continued to rear their ugly heads as an uproar carried over into Austin City Council chambers and across the city. Austin Jewish community members reported vitriolic and antisemitic rhetoric and targeted physical intimidation in the council chambers. Sethi, as County Democratic Party Chair and Rep. Goodwin’s Chief of Staff – again – apparently remained silent. A 23-year-old Palestinian-American was stabbed after attending a rally, to which Mayor Kirk Watson, a fellow Democrat, immediately responded: “This incident adds to the horrible rise in hate-motivated incidents everywhere – including in Austin. We cannot, we will not, tolerate hate.”
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AND MISREPRESENTATION
Over the weekend, a candidate forum was held by members of the Jewish community hosted by Congregation Beth Israel. Sethi told attendees that she is concerned about the rise in religious “hate crimes,” and that antisemitism continues to be the top issue for the district, despite her many opportunities to actually do something.
Not only has Sethi missed opportunities to lead, but she has also misrepresented herself:
“Immigration Attorney” – Sethi boasts of being an immigration attorney, but she is not barred in Texas, making her ineligible to practice in the Lone Star State. A New Jersey law license cleared only weeks before the filing for office.
Taxes for thee and not me – Sethi is in lockstep with other Austin-area leftists when it comes supporting historically high city tax hikes such as the $8 billion rail expansion scheme Project Connect. But the irony there is that she resides in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of Austin, and does not pay city taxes.
Fortunately, House District 47 voters have a choice on the ballot. Dr. Jennifer Mushtaler is a highly qualified local leader, former obstetrician, and entrepreneur who knows how to get things done for West Travis County. She’s the firm believer in accountability and financial transparency that we need at the Texas Capitol.
Early voting in the race for Texas House District 47 continues through Friday, Oct. 30, with election day on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. To learn more about Dr. Jennifer Mushtaler’s campaign visit www.drjenfortexas.com. To see other great Republican candidates visit www.TravisCountyGOP.org/candidates.
