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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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Texas House Democrat Gene Wu has sparked backlash over comments he made about minority groups taking over America.
Speaking on the Define American podcast with journalist Jose Antonio Vargas in December 2024, Wu, the minority leader of the Texas House of Representatives, called on minority groups in Texas to unite against "the same oppressor" to "take over this country" and "make things fairer."
It is not clear what Wu meant by "take over," but after a clip from the interview resurfaced on X, Republican politicians and other high-profile commentators slammed him for his words.
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Newsweek reached out to Wu by email outside of normal business hours for comment.
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Why It Matters
Wu's comments reflect increasing political polarization in the U.S., a trend which has sparked conversations about the balance between free speech and offensive discourse.
There are also racial political divisions in the U.S. Pew Research Center found that 55 percent of white voters voted for President Donald Trump in 2024 and 2020. Minority groups, on the other hand, historically lean toward the Democratic Party.
What To Know
Wu's comments came after Vargas asked him about the relationship between the Latino and Asian communities in Texas. Wu said these groups are pitted against each other as competitors, but need to recognize that they share the same "oppressors."
"The day the Latino, African American, Asian and other communities realize that they share the same oppressor is the day we start winning, because we are the majority in this country now, we have the ability to take over this country and to do what is needed for everyone and to make things fairer," he said.
Responding to a clip of the interview on X, Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz wrote: "The Democrat party is built on bigotry."
Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, also a Republican, said: "Gene Wu is a radical racist who hates millions of Texans just because they're white. This is who the modern Democrat party is."
Republican Utah Senator Mike Lee, wrote: "This is just racism. Americans reject it."
And an X account called End Wokeness, which has 3.9 million followers, said Wu had gone "mask off."
What Happens Next
Wu has not publicly responded to the backlash he has received.
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