*Yolanda Waters, the chairwoman of the Galveston County Republican Party, is under fire after a text message surfaced in which she referred to another party member with a racial slur. Now, she is being pressured by Texas Republican Party leaders to resign.
Waters reportedly sent the text message to party secretary Alicia Youngblood, but after catching heat over it, she claims the slur was an “unfortunate typo.”
In the March text thread, Waters complained about J.T., Edwards, a member of the State Republican Executive Committee, calling him a “typical nig” after he solicited a small loan from her husband to conduct party business. Waters said in the message to Youngblood that she told Edwards “our personal money tree has dried up,” and to not hit up her husband again asking for money.
Youngblood showed the message to Edwards who was left stunned by the wording. (see the text below)
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“It was shocking, and it goes against every principle of our party,” Edwards wrote in the statement dated Nov. 16.
“Bigotry and racism has no place in the Republican Party at all,” he said. “When you have a party leader speaking in this manner about another senior party leader, that’s something that has to be addressed.”
Waters told the Galveston Daily News she made an “unfortunate typo” but couldn’t explain what she had meant instead, claiming she could not remember.
She apologized in a Facebook post to “anyone who took my typo in offense” and said she intends “to keep my position in the upcoming election.”
“I am saddened and hurt that anyone believes I am ‘racist’ against my own people,” said Waters, who identifies as “Latina/African-American.”
James Dickey, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, confirmed in a statement that the party has requested Waters resign as county party chairwoman.
“The Republican Party of Texas does not tolerate racist remarks and actions,” Dickey said in a statement. “Texas is a diverse state and Texans deserve leaders who stand strong for our Republican values — including respecting Texans of all backgrounds, ethnicities and creeds. We have asked Ms. Waters to resign and look forward to the new positive leadership Galveston County deserves.”
“There’s been several efforts to get her to resign since this came out and she dug her feet in the whole time and refused and has been defiant,” said Shawn Byars, a county precinct chair. “It’s a big old mess.”
