The November election is now just around the corner. It’ll determine whether the balance of party power in Washington will shift.
Democrats and Republicans have, in some ways, never seemed further apart. There seems to be less common ground and no appetite for compromise.
These stark positions are alienating some longtime members, especially those who see themselves closer to the middle of the aisle on one issue or another. This is explored in a new short documentary highlighting the stories of a few female Texas Republican leaders.
The directors of “The Life of the Party” hope it’ll start conversations. They’re hosting a series of events across Texas in the coming weeks to meet that goal.
Why focus on Texas women leaders
Co-director Meg Griffiths grew up in Texas during the era of Ann Richards. When she left the state, she encountered a lot of misconceptions about the role of women, especially in politics, in Texas.
“And so one of the foundational principles for making this film was to get out there and share a history that I think people outside of Texas don’t understand,” Griffiths said.
The film follows three Republican women leaders: former Texas State Rep. Sarah Davis of the Houston area, former Texas State Rep. Geanie Morrison of Victoria, and former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores.
Griffiths said they each brought a unique perspective to the film.
“[Davis was] the last pro-choice Republican woman in the Texas House. And she was a major advocate for women’s health, women’s rights, and specifically, as I mentioned, was pro-choice. And so we found her to be fascinating because she was somebody who really led with her values,” Griffiths said.
Morrison was the longest-serving Republican in the Texas House before stepping down earlier this year. Gov. Greg Abbott since appointed her to a term on the Texas Ethics Commission.
Flores was the first Mexican-born woman in Congress and was undergoing a contentious election during filming.
“Our hope was to show a spectrum of women across ideology and values within the Republican Party to really show that, again, no one party is a monolith,” Griffiths said.
Why the emphasis on the Republican Party
C0-director Scott Faris said while they were open to covering both major parties, they discovered, “there were much stronger opinions and a much more present sense of tension around the direction of the party on the right side of the aisle.”
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While they wanted to show a variety of Republican perspectives, he said they intentionally limited the number of Democratic voices.
“We’ve seen lots of films with both sides that still encourage you to sort of choose a side or compare and contrast or pick the party that most aligns with your views,” Faris said. “And so in choosing one party we tried to prevent ourselves from falling into that same trap and really allow viewers to examine the individual qualities within the three women that might be more conducive to working collaboratively across the aisle.”
The name of the film, “The Life of the Party,” comes from a phrase used often to talk about Republican women.
“We frequently heard an expression that ‘if you want something said in Texas, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman,’” Faris said.
At the same time, he pointed out women are dramatically underrepresented in elected office.
“There is a sort of unspoken assumption about the role that [women] should play, which is more of an organizing role, more of a supportive role. And I think what’s interesting about all three of the women, though they approach their work quite differently, you will notice as you watch the film, is that they all are sort of challenging the assumption that women should exist primarily in supporting roles,” Faris said.
Starting the conversation
Screening events set up around the state — including El Paso, Austin, Houston, Victoria, and Denton — include moderated conversations intended to help viewers have better discussions about topics they disagree on.
In the film, the model for these discussions are former Rep. Davis and her husband, Kent Adams.
“We were just so blown away by the fun, sometimes contentious, but ultimately always loving relationship between the two of them,” Faris said. “It was one of those sort of gifts of the production process that are unanticipated. And I think what you see in their dynamic is two people with very strong, closely held opinions, not afraid to express, respectfully, where they’re coming from.”
Sometimes they agreed to disagree. And so, too, do Faris and Griffiths when it comes to the level of optimism they believe “The Life of the Party” displays or anticipates.
The takeaway
“I absolutely feel that this film is optimistic,” Griffiths said. “I think that even though we live in a polarized and divisive time, it’s a reminder that that is not the only way to operate. And I think what really encourages me is the conversations that have come after people watch this film in terms of folks sharing that — maybe I made some assumptions about people that I might not agree with.”
“I would say I see in the film also a warning of where failing to engage intentionally in those cross-partisan dialogs might lead us,” Faris said. “I think that there is some optimism there for those who are looking for it, but there’s also a call to engage and get involved and exercise the better angels of our nature.”
“The Life of the Party” is screening in communities across Texas in events sponsored by groups including the League of Women Voters, Braver Angels, and Texas Matters.
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