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Texas Democrats flee to Illinois, NY amid redistricting standoff
Texas Democrats left the state in an attempt to prevent Republicans from gaining a quorum needed to redraw the state’s 38 congressional districts.
WASHINGTON – Democratic lawmakers in Texas said they were leaving the state to deny Republicans the quorum needed for redistricting, a move aimed at protecting the narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives ahead of next year’s midterm elections. President Donald Trump has championed the redistricting plan and expects it to add up to five more House seats for Republicans.
President Donald Trump has endorsed the redistricting plan, which he expects will yield additional Republican seats in the House. The current narrow Republican majority is 220-212, and three Democratic-held seats are vacant.
In a video shot at an airport, Democratic Rep. James Talarico said the redistricting plan amounted to “rigging” the 2026 elections. He stated on X: “If you’re seeing this video, my Democratic colleagues and I have just left our beloved state to break quorum and stop Trump’s redistricting power grab.”
Several other Texas Democrats also traveled to Illinois, where Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker serves, and a smaller group went to Albany, New York, and Boston.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, has threatened more than 50 liberal lawmakers with expulsion if they do not return by August 4 at 3 p.m. CT. He wrote in a letter that the representatives may have committed felonies and were abandoning their duties as elected officials.
Texas House Democrats responded to Governor Abbott’s threats with a four-word statement: “Come and take it.”
Texas is required to redistrict every decade based on the U.S. Census. However, the current map was passed just four years ago by the Republican-dominated legislature. The Texas map has not been redrawn mid-cycle due to a change in legislative power before.
In response to the Republican-led effort to redraw districts and protect their narrow House majority in next year’s midterm elections, several Texas Democrats fled the state to prevent Republicans from achieving a quorum needed for redistricting. This move was criticized by Governor Greg Abbott, who has threatened these lawmakers with expulsion if they do not return to Austin.
Texas Democrats argued that redistricting amounted to “rigging” the 2026 elections. In a video posted on X, Democratic Rep. James Talarico said, “If you’re seeing this video, my Democratic colleagues and I have just left our beloved state to break quorum and stop Trump’s redistricting power grab.”
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Texas Republicans are pursuing redistricting in a special legislative session that will also address funding for flood prevention following deadly July 4 flash flooding. Democrats accused them of neglecting their responsibilities.
Under current lines, Republicans control nearly two-thirds of the districts. Redistricting experts warn that squeezing too many seats from an already skewed map could backfire on Republicans.
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Why did Texas Democrats leave the state during the redistricting standoff?
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