Over 50 Democratic state legislators have fled Texas to attempt to block a plan by Republicans to redistrict the state. The GOP is looking to redraw the state’s electoral map to increase the number of Republican representatives in Congress, a move supported by President Donald Trump that has sparked backlash from Democrats in Texas and across the country.
Texas Democrats leave state to prevent partisan redistricting
As Blavity reported, Texas Republicans have pursued a plan to redistrict the state ahead of the next election, hoping to add up to five additional Texas Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives. On Sunday, 51 Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives left the state and went to Illinois, Massachusetts and New York in an attempt to prevent the Republicans’ plan. The absence of 51 of the 150 representatives of the Texas State House prevents the chamber from having the two-thirds quorum necessary to conduct business.
Most of the Texas Democrats have gone to Illinois, where Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois Democrats have helped them arrange hotels and offered other support. The Texas Democrats have the support of other prominent party figures, such as New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has also expressed his support for the Texas legislators, declaring, “The courage, conviction and character Texas Democrats are displaying is the embodiment of good trouble.”
Democrats disrupt special session; Republicans threaten punishment
The Democrats have declared that they may stay away from Texas for up to two weeks to disrupt a special session of the Texas legislature called by Gov. Greg Abbott to authorize disaster relief for areas affected by last month’s flooding, as well as a ban on THC, the active chemical in cannabis. Abbott, with the backing of the Trump administration, also added the redistricting plan to the special session.
“We’re not walking out on our responsibilities,” Texas Democratic Rep. Gene Wu said on behalf of himself and his colleagues, “we’re walking out on a rigged system that refuses to listen to the people we represent.”
Democratic lawmakers from Texas used a similar tactic in 2021, fleeing the state to delay the passage of a set of restrictive voting laws. After that, Republicans passed into law a variety of penalties against lawmakers who refuse to show up, including $500-per-day fines for each absent lawmaker and possible expulsion from the legislature. Abbott is threatening to attempt to remove the absent Democrats from office if they do not return. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, meanwhile, has threatened, “Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately.”
In response to Republican threats, Democrats issued a short statement echoing the Texas Revolution of 1831, “Come and take it.”
With the special session of the Texas legislature set to begin on Monday, both sides of the political aisle are prepared for a political showdown. The coming days will show whether Democrats will be able to thwart Republican efforts to redraw the Texas electoral map.
