AUSTIN – Democrat John Cullar officially dropped out of the SD 22 race today, having lost his and his party’s frivolous lawsuit against state Sen. Brian Birdwell.

“Cullar’s actions today tell us what we already knew, that he was not a viable candidate,” said Republican Party of Texas spokesman Bryan Preston. “The Democrats put him up in the hopes they could steal this office. They filed a frivolous lawsuit to that end. And it blew up in their faces. So now their straw candidate turned tail and ran.”

“That they would do this to a true American hero, Sen. Birdwell, is appalling,” he said. “Their actions show a clear pattern of disdain for military voters and families. Bill White, for instance, tried to disenfranchise military voters as chairman of the Texas Democratic Party. As a veteran myself, I find their actions in both the Birdwell election and their previous attempts to disenfranchise military voters disgraceful.”

“We congratulate Sen. Brian Birdwell and the people of SD 22, whom he has already served with exceptional grace and skill. We look forward to his leadership in the 82nd Session of the Texas Legislature next year.”