Southwest
Here’s why rural Republicans are finally beginning to shift and support school choice
Rural Republican lawmakers are beginning to shift on school choice after historically blocking efforts.
The Wyoming legislature earlier this month passed a school choice bill after past failed attempts to make that happen in the Cowboy State.
Lawmakers hope to provide education saving accounts for all K-12 students to use taxpayer dollars to have alternatives to local public schools such as charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling.
The bill comes after two bills were introduced and swatted down during the 2023 legislative session. Republican Governor Mark Gordon vetoed a different charter school bill that passed earlier this year.
The Wyoming Education Association expressed hope that Gordon would strike this bill down.
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The state capitol in Cheyenne, Wyoming on October 21, 2023. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“Whether or not he does, it’s striking that the legislature in one of the most rural states in America passed a robust school choice bill,” American Federation For Children senior fellow Corey DeAngelis wrote in the Wall Street Journal.
“Rural red-state Republicans, backed by teachers unions, have long opposed school choice. They say their constituents don’t want it because there aren’t many private schools in their districts,” he said.
DeAngelis, a fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, explained further, “Yet the nine most rural states in the country (as measured by population share) now have some form of private school choice.”
He continued, “Maine and Vermont have the oldest private-school voucher programs in the U.S., both enacted in the late 19th century for students who live in rural districts without public schools. Both programs allow state funding to follow the child to the public or private school his family chooses.”
“The school choice stampede through rural states and the political success of education freedom supporters in rural districts should put to bed the myth that rural voters don’t want school choice once and for all,” DeAngelis told Fox News Digital.
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Wyoming’s advancement toward a universal school choice bill is part of a trend of red states passing the measure. Nine states passed universal school choice bills last year and Alabama made the move last week.
As Wyoming seeks to be the eleventh state to pass universal school choice, Texas struggled to join the phenomenon due to rural GOP lawmakers, some who were backed by the teachers’ unions.
Teachers unions traditionally reject school choice measures since they claim it debilitates public school funding and resources as taxpayer funding is siphoned off due to the existence of other education alternatives.
Per the Texas Tribune, the state senate tried different ways to pass an education savings account program, but Democrats and rural Republicans blocked their efforts.
State Rep. Travis Clardy, in particular, voted against school choice and told media outlets that he is not convinced vouchers are a good move for public schools in rural areas where there are not many options like there are in suburban and urban communities.
Gov. Greg Abbott on October 31st, 2023 issued a proclamation stating that universal school choice” would include additional school finance, such as teacher pay raises, school safety, and special education” to appease concerns over the impact of public schools. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Clardy is one of the 24 GOP lawmakers who voted against ESAs and has been at odds with Abbott over school choice.
Clardy received a donation of $250 from the Texas AFT in 2020. Clardy, a 12-year incumbent, was defeated in this month’s primary by Joanne Shofner in House District 12.
Jason Bedrick, education policy fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital that rural voters are “waking up to the fact that there are issues in their schools too, and there are more options in rural areas than most people think.”
“As we note in the report, opponents of school choice often say that 1) there are no options besides the public schools in rural areas, and 2) so many kids would leave for these options that the public schools in rural areas would collapse. Those statements cannot both be true simultaneously, but they can both be false. And, indeed, they are false.”
He explained further, “As we document, there are more options in rural areas than most people realize, and with school choice policies in place, there is growth in the private options in rural areas. Additionally, far from destroying rural public schools, the evidence suggests that more choice and competition improves the quality of the public school system in rural areas, just as it does in urban and suburban areas.”
According to a poll from the University of Houston, it reported that 60% of Republican primary voters would be less likely to vote for an incumbent Texas House representative who opposed school choice measures in 2023.
The report stated, “The negative impact on the vote intention for a House incumbent who voted against school choice/vouchers does not vary by region, with 63% of GOP primary voters in urban and suburban counties less likely to vote for the incumbent compared to 58% in rural and semi-rural counties.”
Nine Republican incumbents lost their elections and eight more were pushed into runoffs in the primary last week. Considering the defeat of certain incumbents, the primary election favored Republican candidates who pushed for school choice.
A shift in the Texas legislature could enshrine school choice efforts in the Lone Star State, as GOP primary results indicate that voters favor school choice legislation.
DeAngelis added that the primary results indicate the “biggest political shift towards school choice in Texas history.”
“The Texas election is already sending shockwaves all across the country: rural voters want school choice,” DeAngelis said to Fox News Digital. “These legislators also knew about the non-binding ballot proposition from 2022 finding that 88% of Texas Republican primary voters supported school choice, but they ignored the will of their constituents. In fact, Representative Glenn Rogers said that the Republican primary ballot proposition result was ‘not valid data’ the same day he voted against school choice last November. He ended up losing by 27 points to Mike Olcott on election night.”
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed an unprecedented school choice bill called the Students First Act. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Furthermore, the primary results came after a recent report showing donations from teachers’ unions supporting Republicans who previously rejected school choice measures.
Although the teachers’ unions publicly endorse Democrats, they have shown support for Republicans with a track record of voting against school choice measures.
Campaign finance reports posted by Corey DeAngelis on X show that the Texas AFT donated $25,000 to the PAC “Defend Rural Texas PAC.”
DeAngelis told Fox News Digital last year that Texas state lawmakers could face consequences for choosing not to support school choice by being ousted in the next primary election cycle. He foresaw a parallel between Texas and what occurred in Iowa when Gov. Kim Reynolds sought to pass universal school choice legislation.
Reynolds endorsed nine candidates with a pro-parent platform in primary elections, ousting the incumbent GOP candidates who did not support that platform.
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Southwest
Body found during search for missing Texas teen Camila Mendoza Olmos as another teen girl disappears
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A body was found Tuesday evening as authorities in Bexar County, Texas, grapple with a series of disappearances involving teen girls who all went missing within a week.
The body was found during the search for 19-year-old Camila Olmos, though police said it is too early to determine whether the remains belong to her.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said during a news conference that investigators had “just recently found a body in a field” around 4:40 to 4:45 p.m., adding that the medical examiner will determine both the identity of the body and the cause and manner of death.
The body was found by a joint team of sheriff’s deputies and FBI agents in an area of tall grass near a landscaping business, a few hundred yards from Olmos’ home, according to Salazar.
MISSING CAMILA MENDOZ OLMOS: DASHCAM CAPTURES LAST SIGHTING OF TEXAS TEEN WHO VANISHED CHRISTMAS EVE
Camila Olmos was reported missing on Christmas Eve. (Bexar County Sheriff)
A firearm was recovered near the body, which authorities said had been an item of interest during the search.
Salazar said investigators do not currently suspect murder and noted there were indicators consistent with possible self-harm, though he stressed it is too early to draw conclusions while the scene is still being processed.
Olmos was last seen leaving her home in far northwest Bexar County around 7 a.m. on Dec. 24, authorities said. Her case came as two other girls were reported missing in the area. Fourteen-year-old Sofia Gabriela Peters-Cobos has since been found safe, while 17-year-old Angelique Johnson remains missing, according to police.
Law enforcement has said there is no confirmed connection between the cases.
MISSING CAMILA MENDOZ OLMOS: DASHCAM CAPTURES LAST SIGHTING OF TEXAS TEEN WHO VANISHED CHRISTMAS EVE
Angelique Johnson, from San Antonio, Texas, was reported missing. (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office)
Texas Department of Public Safety said the Clear Alert for Olmos has been discontinued, though authorities urged anyone with information related to the cases or the whereabouts of Angelique Johnson to contact the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
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The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and the San Antonio Police Department did not respond immediately to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
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Former Republican Sen. Jon Kyl announced on Tuesday he is withdrawing from public life after being diagnosed with dementia.
Kyl, 83, became one of Arizona’s most prominent Republicans during a career that spanned nearly three decades across both chambers of Congress, including a stint as Senate minority whip.
“I was blessed to represent the people of Arizona in Congress and to have numerous other opportunities to contribute to the political and civic life of our nation and state,” Kyl said in a statement. “However, the time has come for me to withdraw from public life. I have been diagnosed with a neurological disease manifesting as dementia.”
Kyl represented Arizona’s 4th Congressional District in the House from 1987 to 1995 before serving in the U.S. Senate from 1995 to 2013.
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Former Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl announced on Tuesday he is withdrawing from public life after being diagnosed with dementia. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
After leaving the Senate, Kyl joined the lobbying firm Covington and Burling, before being appointed in 2018 by then-Gov. Doug Ducey to fill the vacancy caused by the death of former Sen. John McCain.
Kyl held the seat for several months in the Senate before rejoining the firm in 2019, where he helped guide the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The longtime Arizona lawmaker described himself as “a very fortunate man” despite the diagnosis.
FORMER COLORADO SEN. BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL DEAD AT 92
Former Arizona Republican Sen. Jon Kyl, left, and Bruce Babbitt, right, former Arizona Republican governor and secretary of the Interior, wave to the crowd as they are recognized during Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s state of the state address Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
“My family and I now head down a path filled with moments of joy and increasing difficulties,” he stated. “I am grateful beyond expression for their love and support, in these coming days as in all the days of my life.”
Kyl moved to Arizona as an 18-year-old freshman to attend the University of Arizona, where he met his wife.
The university said Kyl devoted more than two decades to public service, leaving a lasting impact on water policy, national defense and intelligence.
“His leadership, integrity, and commitment to service reflect the highest ideals of public life,” the university said in a statement.
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Former Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., announced he is withdrawing from public life after being diagnosed with dementia. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said Kyl gave “decades of his life” serving Arizona, adding that he’s grateful for the former GOP senator’s “commitment to our state and country.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Southwest
Girl begged for help months before alleged killing by father, girlfriend — earlier abuse case closed: report
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Newly released police records show that 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste pleaded for help months before she was allegedly killed by her father and his girlfriend in Arizona, revealing an earlier abuse report that was closed despite documented injuries.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, a Phoenix police report details a 911 call made from a local gas station in October 2024, roughly nine months before Rebekah was found unresponsive. The report states the child approached a gas station clerk and begged for help, prompting officers to respond.
Police wrote that Rebekah told officers her father’s girlfriend, Anicia Woods, had hit her with a brush and a belt as punishment and forced her to run laps and endure other physical discipline for “acting out,” the outlet reported. Officers documented visible injuries, and Rebekah was taken to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where she was treated for a bloody lip and bruising on her hands and feet, according to the report.
Despite the child’s statements and her injuries, investigators closed the case after her father, Richard Baptiste, and Woods told police the injuries were self-inflicted, the outlet reported.
911 CALLS, POLICE REPORT DETAILS DARK TIMELINE TO ARIZONA GIRL’S TRAGIC DEATH
A father and girlfriend face murder charges after 10-year-old Rebekah Baptiste died from extensive injuries while living off-grid in rural Arizona. (GoFundMe)
Rebekah was later found unresponsive on July 27, 2025, near a remote campsite outside Concho, Arizona, where investigators say the family had been living off-grid in a yurt without electricity or running water after relocating from Phoenix earlier that month. The family slept on thin mattresses on the floor and hauled water in plastic jugs from a convenience store roughly 15 miles away, according to investigators.
A 36-page probable-cause affidavit from the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office detailed what detectives described as escalating abuse and repeated attempts by Rebekah to flee. Records show the girl had previously jumped out of a window while living in Phoenix and made multiple escape attempts after the move to Concho, including the day she was taken to the hospital.
Despite Rebekah’s visible physical decline, including being too weak to drink from a straw, Woods, who claimed to have a background in nursing, told investigators she believed the girl “would be fine” and did not seek immediate medical care.
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An Arizona couple is facing murder charges after a young girl was found unresponsive on a highway and died days later. (Apache County Sheriff’s Office)
When first questioned, both Woods and Baptiste denied knowing what caused Rebekah’s condition, suggesting she may have fallen. Medical professionals later found extensive signs of abuse, including a brain hemorrhage, burn marks, missing toenails and hair, and numerous cuts and bruises, according to investigators.
Previously reviewed 911 calls from July 27 show Woods referring to Rebekah as her daughter and claiming she was providing rescue breaths, though dispatchers noted she had not begun chest compressions and hesitated to place the child on firm ground, citing nearby rocks. Emergency crews later arrived, but Rebekah did not survive her injuries and was pronounced dead days later at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Investigators wrote that when Baptiste was shown what one detective described as “horrendous photos” of his daughter’s injuries, he “lacked in expressing any emotion.” The detective added it would have been impossible for a parent not to notice the extent of the child’s injuries.
CHARGE AGAINST MELODEE BUZZARD’S MOM DISMISSED, ANKLE MONITOR REMOVED AS FBI HUNTS FOR MISSING 9-YEAR-OLD
Authorities say Baptiste later admitted to striking Rebekah with a belt as punishment for running away, though he denied causing her head injuries. Detectives also reported finding bloody clothing inside the family’s tent that had been changed before emergency services were contacted.
Both Baptiste and Woods are now facing first-degree murder and multiple child abuse charges, including allegations involving Rebekah’s two younger siblings. Prosecutors have also alleged Rebekah suffered ongoing physical and sexual abuse.
Concerns about the children’s safety had been raised repeatedly before Rebekah’s death. School officials at Empower College Prep reportedly contacted Arizona’s Department of Child Safety (DCS) at least 12 times over two years, including after Rebekah’s unexplained absence from school, according to prior reporting.
MISSING ‘AT-RISK’ GIRL MELODEE BUZZARD’S MOM APPEARS IN COURT AFTER ALLEGED BOX-CUTTER STANDOFF
A memorial plaque for Rebekah Baptiste marks a planted tree in her memory at an outdoor garden, dated Dec. 20, 2014, to July 30, 2025. (Empower College Prep Elementary)
Rebekah was remembered by the school, where she attended for two years, in a tribute posted on its Facebook page the day after Christmas. School officials described her as intelligent, compassionate and a natural leader, noting she earned the Star Wolfpack award for exemplifying the school’s core values.
In her honor, the school planted a tree with pink flowers, surrounded by a rock garden made from stones created by staff and students, and displayed a decorative crane donated by a staff member. The school said the tributes allow students and staff to remember her life each day.
DCS has since launched a review into whether the agency failed to adequately protect the child. Gov. Katie Hobbs has also pledged to fully investigate the case amid growing public scrutiny.
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State Sen. Carine Werner has cited Rebekah’s case as part of a broader failure within Arizona’s child protection system, calling the deaths of three children with prior DCS contact a “wake-up call.”
Werner said a September stakeholder meeting, part of a multiphase review process, included testimony from families, tribal representatives and child welfare experts as lawmakers weigh possible reforms.
Fox News Digital reached out to DCS and Phoenix police.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
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