Abbott threatens to oust Democrats who fled Texas over redistricting

[ad_1] A showdown is unfolding in Texas as Gov. Greg Abbott threatens to take away Democrats who've fled the state in protest of a Republican-led effort to create a brand new congressional map with management of the U.S. Home doubtlessly at stake.

Abbott mentioned Texas Home Democrats have till 3 p.m. native time on Monday to return to the statehouse for the particular session or danger shedding their jobs. Texas Lawyer Common Ken Paxton recommended Democrats who left needs to be arrested and forcibly introduced again.

The response from the Texas Home Democratic Caucus to Abbott's risk was, "Come and take it."

Democratic members who left the state are slated to carry varied occasions all through the day Monday in Democrat-led states.

The proposed congressional map, backed by President Donald Trump, may create as much as 5 new Republican seats and assist Republicans maintain management of the Home within the 2026 midterm elections. Consideration of the invoice had been set for Monday, however can't proceed if Democrats deny a quorum.

The State Capitol is seen on July 21, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Brandon Bell/Getty Photographs

Democrats maintain occasions in New York, Massachusetts and Illinois The primary information convention with Texas Democrats on Monday was with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in Albany. Hochul's message for Texas Home Democrats was, "You're on the correct facet of historical past. And you are not alone."

"As I mentioned, historical past will choose us and the way we reply to this second. However right here in New York, we won't stand on the sidelines with the timid souls on the sidelines who do not care and won't make investments their coronary heart and soul into this battle. This can be a battle," Hochul continued. "We're at battle and that is why the gloves are off. And I say, convey it on."

Hochul mentioned that she would search to disband or change New York's unbiased redistricting fee by a constitutional modification in response to Texas -- however admitted that doing so wouldn't be attainable earlier than the 2028 election. Beneath former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New Yorkers handed a constitutional modification in 2014 prohibiting partisan redistricting.

Texas Home Democrats who've gone to Massachusetts for the Nationwide Convention of State Legislators summit will probably be joined by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker for a press convention in Boston on Monday afternoon. Then, Texas Home Democrats who've gathered in Illinois will maintain a press convention with Democratic members of Congress in Chicago on Monday night time.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul holds a press convention with members of the The Texas Home Democratic Caucus in Albany, Aug. 4, 2025.

ABC Information

Pritzker on Sunday accused Trump of "rigging" the brand new Texas maps out of desperation and fear that as a result of his insurance policies, he was at risk of shedding Home Republican majorities in Washington. The Illinois governor additionally warned the newly-proposed maps set a harmful precedent throughout the nation.

"This isn't simply rigging the system in Texas," Pritzker mentioned. "It is about rigging the system towards the rights of all Individuals for years to return."

Abbott, Paxton threaten motion towards Democrats Abbott, in his warning to Texas Home Democrats, mentioned leaving the state in protest amounted to "abandonment or forfeiture of an elected state workplace."

The governor mentioned in the event that they did not return by 3 p.m. native time on Monday, he would invoke Texas Lawyer Common Opinion No. KP-0382 to take away the lacking Democrats from membership within the Texas Home. He additional went on to say the lawmakers who left "may additionally have dedicated felonies" by fundraising with a view to pay the $500 high quality they danger accruing every day they're absent.

"Our fellow Texans are being let down and never getting the flood reduction they want, as a result of these Democrats have absconded from the duty, and I consider they've forfeited their seats within the state legislature as a result of they are not doing the job they had been elected to do," Abbott mentioned throughout an interview with Fox Information on Monday.

Paxton, in a social media submit, wrote that "Democrats within the Texas Home who try to run away like cowards needs to be discovered, arrested, and introduced again to the Capitol instantly. We must always use each instrument at our disposal to seek out those that assume they're above the legislation."

What's at stake The brand new congressional map was proposed by Texas Republicans following a push by Trump for maps extra favorable to Republicans to assist the occasion maintain the bulk within the Home in 2026. At present, Home Republicans are working with a slim majority.

Trump has mentioned he desires Republicans to select up 5 new seats in Texas and others across the nation. Democrats have slammed the transfer and mentioned it dangers hurting minority voters.

Requested by Fox Information why he's pushing for brand new districts, Abbott mentioned it's partly to dismantle "coalition districts" (the place racial minority teams collectively make up a lot of the inhabitants) and to redraw districts primarily based on political issues.

"Gerrymandering may be performed or drawing strains may be performed on the idea of political make-up, as in Republican versus Democrat, and there is nothing unlawful about that," Abbott mentioned. "After which while you have a look at the result of the latest presidential election, all these districts which might be being added are districts that had been received by Trump."

Because the redistricting battle heats up, a Home Republican will introduce laws to ban mid-decade redrawing of congressional maps nationwide.

California GOP Rep. Kevin Kiley will formally introduce the invoice on Tuesday which can "nullify new maps adopted by states earlier than the 2030 census, together with any which might be adopted this yr." The invoice's future stays unsure, nevertheless, because it's unlikely to be backed by Home Republican management.