‘Asian’ candidate remarks end Texas lawmaker Rick Miller’s re-election bid
- Rick Miller said his comments were ‘not made with malice nor do they reflect who I am or who I strive to be’
A white Texas Republican lawmaker who suggested his political rivals on the ballot were motivated to run against him because they’re Asian dropped his re-election bid after a backlash that included losing the endorsement of the state’s Republican governor.
State Representative Rick Miller since 2013 has represented a suburban Houston district in Fort Bend County, one of the most diverse counties in the US.
He told The Houston Chronicle that one of his primary opponents, Jacey Jetton, was running against him in 2020 “because he is an Asian” and decided “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 told the newspaper.
He went on to suggest that a second challenger, Leonard Chan, had similar motivations.
“I don’t know, I never met the guy. I have no idea who he is,” Miller said of Chan.