The Texas Family Project (TFP) is a right-of-center group that opposes drag shows for children, explicit materials in and out of schools, and “gender affirming care” practices aimed at children. ¹ The organization invites political candidates to sign its “Big Family Pledge” and publishes legislative ratings for Texas state legislators based on their votes regarding family-related issues such as gambling, school choice, parental rights, and child protection measures. ^{2 3}

Founding TFP President Chris Hopper said his group is focused on acting against sexualizing kids, preventing subjecting children to “gender modification” procedures, protecting parental rights, and preventing indoctrination in schools. Upon the group’s founding, Hopper said: “The answer is not a politician. It’s a family’s responsibility to be mobilized and fight against it.” ²

The organization faced criticism in early 2024 after sending mailers critical of Republican members of the state legislature for votes the group viewed as pro-Muslim and pro-LGBT. ⁴

Issue Advocacy

The Texas Family Project argues that schools should educate and promote critical thinking and not engage in indoctrination. ⁵ The organization says it supports parental rights and strengthening marriage and family relationships. ¹

TFP opposes sex changes for children and calls for the “outlawing of genital mutilation of Texas kids.” ⁵

The TFP calls for policymakers to “end the sexualization of Texas kids,” arguing that children should be protected from explicit content in public and school libraries, “all ages” drag shows, and online pornography. ⁵

The group also opposes bringing casino gambling to Texas, arguing that casinos lead to more debt, poverty, and broken homes. ⁵ The organization released a poll in 2023 that showed that Texas Republicans viewed gambling to be as addictive as alcohol or drugs, and mostly opposed legalizing casino gambling in the state. ⁶

Controversies

The Texas Family Project sent mailers in early 2024 that blasted “RINOs,” an acronym for Republicans in name only, for voting in favor of resolutions to honor Muslim holidays and to praise local LGBT chambers of commerce. ⁴

Responding to criticism about the mailers, the group posted, “We work … to make families the most powerful force in Austin and to ensure Christian family values are upheld by our government. Texas voters deserve no less.” ⁴

Some Republicans in the Texas legislature criticized the organization for sending out a text message to voters that characterized a handful of GOP lawmakers as having “voted with Democrats to fund transgender social transitioning.” Every Republican state legislator had voted in favor of Senate Bill 14 to ban gender changes of children in Texas. However, the Texas Family Project reportedly faulted several Republican lawmakers for their votes on an amendment to a separate bill. ⁷

Leadership

Brady Gray is the president of the Texas Family Project. As a college student in Arlington Texas, he worked on the staff at Lakewood Baptist Church and was the worship pastor at the church. He went on to work as the worship pastor for Willow Park Baptist. In 2021 he became a founding board member of the Texas Family Project. He is separately the chairman of the board of A Place for Grace Ministries, a nonprofit children’s ministry. ¹

Chris Hopper is the founding president and a board member of TFP as of 2024. Hopper, Chris. “Midland public library not immune to perverted content.” ⁸

Other members of the board of directors include Clark Bosher and Payden Morgan. ⁹

1. “About.” Texas Family Project. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.texasfamilyproject.com/about
2. Anderson, Erin. “New ‘Texas Family Project’ Pledges to Fight for Families.” Texas Scorecard.  June 24, 2022. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://texasscorecard.com/state/new-texas-family-project-pledges-to-fight-for-families/
3. Henry, Sydnie. “Texas Family Project Releases Legislative Report Card.” Texas Scorecard. July 21, 2023. Accessed March 8, 2024.  https://texasscorecard.com/state/texas-family-project-releases-legislative-report-card/
4. Harris, Cayla. “Campaign mailers are flooding GOP districts. Many have ties to the same right-wing megadonors.” San Antonio News-Express. February 9, 2024. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/gop-mailers-donors-18651945.php
5. “Issues.” Texas Family Project. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.texasfamilyproject.com/issues
6. “Texas Family Project Poll Reveals Texas Republicans Believe Gambling Just as Addictive as Drugs & Alcohol, Have Concerns About Bringing Casinos to Texas.” The Pampa News. April 18, 2023. Accessed March 9, 2024. https://www.thepampanews.com/stories/texas-family-project-poll-reveals-texas-republicans-believe-gambling-just-as-addictive-as-drugs,38135
7. McCaig, Mark. “Pro-Family Conservatives Attacked by Questionable ‘Family Project’ Group.” The Texas Voice. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.thetexasvoice.com/pro-family-conservatives-attacked-by-questionable-family-project-group/
8. Midland Reporter-Telegram. February 10, 2023. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.mrt.com/opinion/article/texas-family-project-midland-library-immune-17790621.php
9. “Texas Family Project.” Instrumentl. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://irs-efile-renderer.instrumentl.com/render?object_id=202303209349202690