Bexar County GOP officials threatened to file a lawsuit against Texas House District 11 Democratic candidate Kristian Carranza for changing her last name from Thompson, alleging she did the change to appeal Latino voters.
According to the San Antonio Current, Carranza legally changed her last name from Thompson to Carranza in January 2023, nine months before the candidate registration deadline. Carrazna is her mother’s maiden name, and she said she changed her last name because her father was absent and her mother raised her.
However, the Bexar County GOP said Carranza is trying to appeal Latino voters, which is a large portion of voters in the district.
“We believe that [her last name] was changed, possibly, you know, to have a beautiful Hispanic last name in a beautiful Hispanic district to influence voters,” County Republican Chairwoman Kris Coons said.
Coons also denied the party is trying to protect incumbent John Lujan.
Lujan, a Republican, has been representing the district since 2021. Texas HD 118 has historically leaned blue, and democrats are hopeful to turn the district blue again. Carranza has been running an aggressive ground campaign and has raised considerable money in a tight race.
Carranza blasted the Republicans trying to sue her.
“Once again, Republican extremists are showing their disrespect of women. I take my last name from my single mother who raised me, not my absent father,” she wrote. “This frivolous lawsuit from the Bexar County Republican Party demonstrates their disregard for women and what it takes to raise a family.”
Carranza won the Democratic primary against Carlos Quezada in May, with 63% of votes.
“Mi nombre es Kristian Carranza, and like it or not, I’m running to stand up for San Antonio families,” she concluded.
The GOP hasn’t filed the lawsuit yet, and Coons couldn’t elaborate on what law Carranza allegedly broke by changing her name.
“I’ll let our lawyers tell you that, my friend,” Coons told reporters.
