By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews
The protests themselves were one story. What came after has become another.
After “No Kings” demonstrations drew crowds across Collin County this weekend, the Keith Self for Congress campaign page posted multiple messages targeting those who participated. In one post, people at a Farmersville event were described as “radical Marxist, anti-American, ANTIFA retreads.” In another, the campaign called the protests an “insult,” said participants were being used as “pawns,” and claimed they were acting “against the will of 77 million Americans.”
The focus is now shifting from the protests themselves to the response—because many of the people being described are local residents of TX-03.
Campaign Language and Context
The posts center on a photo from the Farmersville protest showing a group of attendees. In the post text, the Keith Self for Congress campaign page, referenced “my opponent,” appearing to publicly acknowledge Evan Hunt, the Democratic candidate in TX-03, for the first time in campaign messaging.
That mention comes as the Hunt campaign says it had previously attempted to engage Self, including outreach efforts and an invitation to a town hall in McKinney, along with a letter delivered to his local office—efforts the campaign says went unanswered.
Hunt Responds to Campaign Posts
Evan Hunt, who is running against Self in TX-03, criticized the remarks in a statement to TX3DNews.
“I’m deeply disappointed that a sitting Representative would label peaceful TX-03 protesters as ‘radical’ or ‘anti-American.’ The right to protest is one of the most American things there is. It’s how this country was founded, and it’s protected by the Constitution,” Hunt said.
“You don’t have to agree with the message, but you should respect the right. Elected officials are responsible for representing everyone in their district—not just those who agree with them. That means listening and engaging, especially in moments of disagreement. Dismissing constituents only deepens division.”
Hunt said differing views across the district are expected in a district of its size.
“In a district like ours, people won’t think with one voice. That’s not a flaw—that’s the point,” he said.
Local Protests, Local Constituents
The demonstrations took place across multiple cities in Collin County, including within TX-03, with residents gathering to express opposition to federal policies and broader political concerns.
The Farmersville event referenced in the campaign posts drew particular attention because it showed a group of local attendees—many of whom later identified themselves in the comment threads.
Several said they were residents of the district and pushed back on how they were described, noting their roles as veterans, parents, and longtime community members.
Local turnout was also reflected in participation across the county. Collin County Democratic Party Chair Jeremy Sutka said protests were held in cities including Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Wyllie and Farmersville, with several thousand participants reported in multiple locations.
Because the people pictured and referenced are local constituents, the focus of the reaction has centered less on the protests themselves and more on how those participating were characterized.
Responses to the Posts Showed a Divided Reaction
Some commenters supported the campaign’s characterization, calling the protests “unpatriotic” or arguing they were driven by outside political influence.
Others pushed back, particularly those who said they attended the Farmersville event.
“I’m the guy in the cowboy hat… I’ve yet to meet anyone who identifies as antifa or Marxist. We are patriots,” one commenter wrote.
Another asked, “Is everyone you don’t agree with a radical Marxist, anti-American, ANTIFA retread?”
Several commenters emphasized they were local residents, rejecting the labels and describing the protest as a peaceful expression of their views. Others questioned whether that kind of language should be used to describe constituents participating in a local demonstration.
As the Race Develops
The posts—and the response that followed—have turned a weekend of protests into part of the conversation in TX-03, where both the demonstrations and the reaction to them are now drawing attention from voters across the district.
For those who attended, the reaction has brought the focus closer to home, as the discussion turns to how constituents are described in the course of a campaign.
TX3DNews contacted the office of Keith Self seeking comment and clarification on the campaign posts. A response was not received by the time of publication.
