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Abbott Rescinds Support Of Republican Who Said Opponents Are Challenging Him Because They're Asian

State Rep. Rick Miller, R-Sugarland, speaks with colleagues on the House floor during the House School Finance plan deliberations on April 3, 2019.
Emree Weaver
/
The Texas Tribune
State Rep. Rick Miller, R-Sugarland, speaks with colleagues on the House floor during the House School Finance plan deliberations on April 3, 2019.

Gov. Greg Abbott rescinded his endorsement of state Rep. Rick Miller on Tuesday after the Sugar Land Republican said he was facing primary challengers because they are “Asian.”

“Representative Miller’s comments are inappropriate and out of touch with the values of the Republican Party. In light of Rep. Miller’s comments, the governor is withdrawing his endorsement,” Abbott spokesman John Wittman told The Texas Tribune.

Abbott endorsed Miller for another term on Oct. 15, calling him a “strong, principled conservative who has represented the people of Fort Bend County with integrity.” The governor has backed all but a few House Republicans for reelection at this point.

By late Tuesday morning, a page featuring Abbott’s endorsement of Miller had disappeared from the governor’s campaign website.

In an interview with The Houston Chronicle, Miller said that two of his Republican opponents — former Fort Bend GOP Chairman Jacey Jetton and Houston Fire Department analyst Leonard Chan — likely joined the race because they're Asian in a district with a sizable Asian population.

“He’s a Korean. He has decided because, because he is an Asian that my district might need an Asian to win. And that’s kind of racist in my mind, but anyway, that's not necessary, at least not yet,” Miller said of Jetton.

Chan “jumped in probably for the same reason,” Miller told the Chronicle. “I don’t know, I never met the guy. I have no idea who he is. He has not been around Republican channels at all, but he’s an Asian.”

Miller’s district includes most of Fort Bend County, one of America’s most ethnically diverse counties: 20% of its residents are Asian, 20% are black, 24% are Hispanic and 34% are white. Hillary Clinton won the county decisively in 2016. According to the latest Census estimates, the citizen voting-age population for Asians in Miller’s district grew from 22% in 2010 to 24% in 2015.

In separate interviews with the Tribune, both Chan and Jetton said they were disappointed by Miller’s comments.

“I’ve stood by why I'm running and I’ve never run as an Asian or a Korean or anything other than another conservative Texan wanting to do good for the state,” Jetton said. “I don’t know where he decided to come up with these comments, but it’s unfortunate.”

Chan, who previously interned for NATO Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchinson and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, said he was “caught off guard” by Miller’s comments.

“It’s about qualifications, merit and ideas,” Chan said. “You shouldn’t treat each demographic group as a group to try and capture at the ballot box.”

Both Chan and Jetton said Miller hasn’t reached out to apologize for his remarks.

Miller’s comments could hurt Republicans, who are often critical of so-called identity politics, said Anthony Nguyen, the president of the Texas Asian Republican Assembly.

“Usually that’s something that Democrats say. ‘Oh, vote for me because I’m a woman. Vote for me because I’m black. Vote for me because I’m some identity that they subscribe,’” Nguyen said.

“Conservatives typically don’t like to do that, but if that’s how [Miller is] seeing it, then I guess everybody has their own opinions,” he said.

Miller hasn’t faced a primary challenger since 2012, but faced three challenges this year from Chan, Jetton and insurance agent Matt Morgan. Miller was not immediately available for comment on Abbott’s statement, but previously told the Tribune he was in Dallas for a “special event honoring our work for foster children.”

Democrats are also targeting the seat after Miller won reelection last year by nearly 5 points and Beto O’Rourke, the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, carried it by 2 points. Four Democrats have filed for the seat in 2020: Lawrence Allen Jr., a member of the State Board of Education; L. Sarah DeMerchant, the 2018 nominee against Miller; Rish Oberoi, a development consultant; and Suleman Lalani, a physician.

“Texas Republicans again are showing off their true colors,” said Abhi Rahman, a spokesman for the Texas Democratic Party. “From Dennis Bonnen to Rick Miller to the dirty tricks seen in the leaked Texas GOP playbook, voters are getting a firsthand look at what Texas Republicans look like behind closed doors and out in the open.”

The Texas Tribune provided this story.

Alex Samuels is a reporting fellow for the Texas Tribune and a journalism senior at The University of Texas at Austin. She came to the Tribune in fall 2016 as a newsletters fellow, writing the daily Brief and contributing to the water, education and health newsletters. Alex previously worked for USA Today College as both a collegiate correspondent and their first-ever breaking news correspondent. She has also worked for the Daily Dot where she covered politics, race, and social issues.
Patrick Svitek is a reporter for the Texas Tribune. He previously worked for the Houston Chronicle's Austin bureau. He graduated in 2014 from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. He originally is from Fort Wayne, Indiana.