Texas GOP's Bizarre Text Warning Voters About 'Weirdo Furry Socialists' Sparks Mockery

A Texas political action committee sparked online mockery after multiple people independently told the San Antonio Current they received a text message urging Texans to vote Republican to keep so-called "furry Socialists" from choosing their leaders.

The message was sent Saturday alongside a photo purportedly showing a man wearing a fox-tail accessory as he left a polling location in Collin County. The message identified its sender as Texans for Common Sense, a political action committee funded entirely by Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC, a far-right organization backed by West Texas oil billionaire Tim Dunn.

Dunn is a major financial supporter of the Texas Republican Party’s increasingly conservative wing. James Talarico, the Democrat running for Texas' seat in the U.S. Senate, has previously called out Dunn as an example of wealthy donors wielding unchecked power over the state's politics.

One social media user shared a screenshot of the message they received, which reads:

"[Redacted], this sounds unbelievable but there are furries voting in our elections. This picture was taken at a Collin County polling location earlier this week."

"Furries, which are men and women who identify as animals, and other weirdos are turning out in record numbers. They are a big reason why Democrats held an 86,000 vote lead on Republicans statewide!"

"Don't let weirdo furry Socialists pick our leaders! Go vote for every Republican on your ballot today to keep common sense conservatives in control of Texas."

You can see it below.

@LaneyHawes/X

@LaneyHawes/X

This is ridiculous.

The furry fandom is a community built around the idea of anthropomorphic animals—fictional or artistic animals that possess human traits, such as speech, emotions, intelligence or other humanlike behaviors. People who identify with the fandom are commonly referred to as furries.

Many people in the fandom develop an original animal persona known as a “fursona.” Participation can take many forms, from wearing elaborate fursuits to creating art and writing, playing games, role-playing or engaging with online communities.

Research on the fandom also challenges the characterization of furry culture as primarily sexual. FurScience research has found that participants commonly point to social connection, entertainment and an interest in anthropomorphic art and storytelling as motivations for participating.

Identifying as a furry, on its own, says nothing about a person’s sexual interests, gender identity or mental health.

People ridiculed the text immediately.

Furries seem to be part of the GOP fearmongering script lately.

It was only weeks ago that Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville was widely mocked after he made the bonkers claim that many pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are "part of the furry community."

Tuberville, who spoke alongside a poster displaying a transphobic message, offered no evidence to substantiate the claim that a large portion of commercial aviation workers identify as furries, nor did he provide evidence that involvement in the furry community presents a safety concern.

This is truly the best Republicans have to offer. Do the right thing, Texas.