Texas candidate took money from Democrats, then flipped to GOP

[douglas9]

A Texas Railroad Commissioner candidate is in hot water after flipping her candidacy from Democrat to Republican—just days after fundraising from Democratic donors.

Katherine Culbert, a process safety engineer who has worked in the oil and gas sector, reportedly raised money for her 2026 campaign as a Democrat through ActBlue, a fundraising site for Democratic candidates, before suddenly filing to run as a Republican.

Culbert signaled that she had switched gears, announcing that she officially filed to run as a Republican on X on Tuesday, writing, "I am directing my campaign toward all Texans and stressing that effective statewide leadership must rise above partisan expectations."

https://www.chron.com/politics/article/texas-railroad-commissioner-party-flip-21234577.php

[mwmisses4289]

1. Good.

Any politician who switches parties should be made to pay back money to the party they left and the people who donated money to their campaign.
I wonder, does she realize this makes her appear untrustworthy? Neither party will trust her- she flipped once, will she flip again?

[Raven123]

2. Sends a message about her and fundraising in general

People change political parties, but be wary of donations to those who have not officially declared their party affiliation in a filing.

This has the capacity to become a big problem. I wish there was a way to require refunds of contributions under the circumstances of changed party affiliations.

[GiqueCee]

3. Ms. Culbert...

... has just warned Texans that they should not trust her any further than they can throw the garbage truck she slithered out of.

[TBF]

4. She'll fit in well here -

as I watch local republican candidates steal each other's campaign signs ...

[summer_in_TX]

5. I knew last time she ran that she wasn't really a Democrat.

Sensed it in how she responded to questions. But since she was a woman with a background in oil and gas, she was endorsed by a lot of the clubs, won the primary, and then fizzled in the general election. She knocked out a guy that was a very qualified Dem who wanted to clean up all the leaking old wells.

Some of our folks are so committed to elevating women that they don't do their due diligence or they overlook warning signs.

I understand the temptation but winning trumps picking a female candidate who isn't a strong campaigner or who isn't as qualified.