Texas Republicans say 'hunt down' Democrats who are leaving state over redistricting

[ad_1] Democratic statehouse legislators are planning to depart Texas on Sunday to be able to break the quorum of a particular legislative session by which Republican state legislators are aiming to move a brand new congressional map that might create as much as 5 new GOP seats.

The transfer comes after a marathon public listening to on the plan within the state Capitol on Friday and fewer than per week after state Republican legislators proposed the brand new maps. Republicans maintain a majority within the Texas state legislature; Democrats had mentioned they might contemplate all choices to cease the maps from being handed, though their choices for placing again have been restricted.

"We're not strolling out on our duties; we're strolling out on a rigged system that refuses to hearken to the folks we characterize. As of right this moment, this corrupt particular session is over," state Rep. Gene Wu, who chairs the Home Democratic Caucus, mentioned in an announcement.

After information broke of Democratic legislators breaking quorum, Texas Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton wrote in a submit on X that Democrats who left needs to be arrested and introduced again to the state capitol.

U.S. Rep. Jolanda Jones, D-Texas, seems at a map throughout the Texas state Home redistricting committee assembly on August 01, 2025, in Austin. The Home Choose Committee on Congressional Redistricting held its first listening to since Texas Republicans redrew their congressional map. The redrawn congressional maps got here on the heels of a push from President Donald Trump forward of subsequent yr's midterms.

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"Democrats within the Texas Home who attempt to run away like cowards needs to be discovered, arrested, and introduced again to the Capitol instantly," he wrote. "We must always use each device at our disposal to search out those that assume they're above the regulation."

Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott issued a blistering assertion Sunday night, accusing the Home Democrats who fled the state and prevented quorum of doing so for illegitimate causes. He mentioned their premeditated resolution might end in forfeiture of elected state workplace and demanded they have to return when the statehouse reconvenes for particular session at 3:00 p.m. CT on Monday or threat dropping their jobs.

"This truancy ends now. The derelict Democrat Home members should return to Texas and be in attendance when the Home reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025. For any member who fails to take action, I'll invoke Texas Lawyer Normal Opinion No. KP-0382 to take away the lacking Democrats from membership within the Texas Home," a part of Abbott's assertion learn.

The walkout itself can not cease the passage of the invoice, however Democrats intention to expire the clock on the 30-day particular legislative session, which might imply Abbott must name one other one. Texas Home Democrats beforehand broke quorum in 2021 to attempt to cease an elections invoice and in 2003 to attempt to cease the same redistricting effort by Republicans. Republicans ultimately managed to move the payments each instances.

President Donald Trump has beforehand mentioned he needed Texas legislators to attract 5 new Republican districts.

Greater than 51 legislators are leaving the state, denying the state Home the two-thirds majority out of 150 legislators it must have a quorum. A precise variety of how most of the 62 Democratic legislators from the state Home have been leaving was not instantly accessible.

Democrats who break quorum threat accruing a $500-a-day wonderful, in line with the state Home guidelines, and potential authorized motion.

Texas Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton, talking with "Conflict Room" host and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, mentioned on Thursday, "The Home guidelines and the Senate guidelines each permit for these folks to be arrested in the event that they depart ... The problem is, in the event that they exit of state, we lose jurisdiction, and that -- it has been a problem prior to now, however ultimately, so long as the governor is keen to maintain calling periods, finally they've to come back dwelling."

The Texas State Capitol is seen on July 21, 2025, in Austin. Lawmakers are gathering for a particular session to debate an agenda outlined by Gov. Greg Abbott that seeks to deal with flood aid in response to the Central Texas floods that killed greater than 100 folks, congressional redistricting, and THC merchandise.

Brandon Bell/Getty Photos

Paxton additionally mentioned he was not fearful about defending the maps in courtroom: "We have got, we have got good maps. And the legislature has the appropriate to attract the maps they need. They're politically based mostly, not race-based. And in the event that they're politically based mostly, then they're defensible."

A number of the Democratic legislators fleeing the state will seem on Sunday night with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker at a press convention. Pritzker has been a staunch supporter of Texas Democrats and has floated the potential of getting Illinois' personal congressional maps redrawn if Texas redraws its maps. Illinois' maps have been criticized by outdoors observers as extremely partisan in favor of Democrats.

In late June, the chair of the Texas Democrats, Kendall Scudder, flew from Dallas to Oklahoma to see Pritzker, who was giving remarks on the state Democratic Social gathering's dinner. The pair had a non-public assembly throughout that point to speak about the potential of lawmakers fleeing the state to Illinois -- and in the event that they have been to flee the state, that they might have a spot they might really feel secure and supported.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks throughout the 2027 Chicago All-Star Sport Announcement earlier than a recreation between the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Subject on Aug. 1, 2025 in Chicago.

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Since then, Pritzker and Texas Democrats have been in contact, and a small group of them traveled to Chicago in July when members of the delegation left for Illinois and California for temporary conferences.

Pritzker and his group have been serving to behind the scenes to assist discover resorts within the space for the Democrats, assist their operation, and grease the wheels so issues go easily for them as they head to Illinois.