Texas Democrats Will Return After Special Session Ends
Texas Democrats Will Return To State After Special Session Ends
The Texas redistricting saga is winding to a close. The Texas House Democrats who fled the state to prevent a new electoral map from passing have signaled their intent to return to the state this weekend.
According to ABC News, the Texas Democrats feel they have accomplished what they set out to do in raising awareness and spurring a national conversation about Texas’ unusual mid-decade redistricting effort. The Texas Democrats issued a press release on Tuesday saying they “have killed this corrupt special session on behalf of Texas families — exactly what we said we’d do when we left the state.”
“Members are still assessing their strategies going forward and are in a private meeting to make decisions about future plans currently,” Texas House Democratic Caucus spokesperson Joshua Rush told ABC News. “If and when Texas House Democrats breaking quorum decide to go home is squarely dependent on the actions the Governor, Speaker, and Texas Republicans in charge make with regard to prioritizing flood victims over redistricting that hurts Texans.”
The Texas redistricting saga began in July after devastating floods ravaged the state and killed over 100 people. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a special legislative session under the guise of providing flood relief for the Texans affected. When the special session began, Texas Democrats were shocked to find the focus was mainly on drafting a new electoral map ahead of the 2026 midterms.
A mid-decade redistricting is highly unusual, as redistricting typically occurs every 10 years. The Texas redistricting effort came at the behest of President Donald Trump, who wants to protect the GOP’s narrow majority in the House of Representatives. Currently, Democrats only need a net gain of three seats to flip control of the House. Texas’ new electoral map would add five House seats in districts Trump won by double digits.
The Texas Democrats left the state nearly two weeks ago to deny state Republicans the quorum needed to pass a vote on the map. In response, Gov. Abbott ordered the civil arrest of the Texas Democrats and filed a lawsuit to remove state Democratic Rep. Gene Wu from his seat. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) even enlisted the help of the FBI to hunt down the Texas Democrats.
These are all totally normal things that happen in a healthy, well-functioning democracy.
While the Texas Democrats killed this special session, Gov. Greg Abbott has stated his intent to call as many special sessions as needed to pass through a new legislative map.
“The Special Session No. 2 agenda will have the exact same agenda, with the potential to add more items critical to Texans,” Gov. Abbott told reporters. “There will be no reprieve for the derelict Democrats who fled the state and abandoned their duty to the people who elected them. I will continue to call special session after special session until we get this Texas first agenda passed.”
Gov. Abbott indicated this week that state Republicans are considering making more revisions to the new map that would create three more seats in addition to the five already added.
The Texas redistricting effort has kicked off a game of tit-for-tat in several Democrat-led states. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been the most vocal about wanting to redraw electoral maps to neutralize the potential Republican gains in Texas, announcing his own plan to counter the gerrymandering happening in Texas at a press conference on Thursday. Newsom also sent a letter to President Donald Trump saying that he would drop the California redistricting push if Trump called off the Texas redistricting effort.
“DONALD ‘TACO’ TRUMP, AS MANY CALL HIM, ‘MISSED’ THE DEADLINE!!! CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE ‘BEAUTIFUL MAPS,’ THEY WILL BE HISTORIC AS THEY WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY (DEMS TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!),” Newsom wrote in a statement intended to mock the way President Donald Trump tweets. “BIG PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK WITH POWERFUL DEMS AND GAVIN NEWSOM — YOUR FAVORITE GOVERNOR — THAT WILL BE DEVASTATING FOR ‘MAGA.’ THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! — GN.”
Do you ever think about how deeply unserious American politics have become and question whether this country will even make it to the end of the century? Is that just me? Cool.
SEE ALSO:
Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom Counters Texas Redistricting Effort With One Of His Own
Redistricting: Majority Black Voting Maps Rejected In Louisiana
Critics Call Texas Governor’s New Congressional Map Gerrymandering
US Senator John Cornyn, FBI Team Up To Hunt Texas Democrats
Texas State Dems Break Quorum To Prevent Redistricting Vote
Gov. Greg Abbott Orders Arrest Of Texas Democrats
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Sues To Remove Democratic Rep In Redistricting Fight
