Texas Democrats are leaving the state in an attempt to prevent the state House from holding a vote Monday on new congressional maps that Republicans hope will net them several additional U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterm elections.
The dramatic move Sunday could expose Democrats to fines and other penalties — with the state’s attorney general having previously threatened to arrest them if they took such an action. Refusing to attend legislative session is a civil violation, however, so Democrats legally could not be jailed and it’s unclear who has the power to carry out the warrants.
Democrats have cast the decision to leave the state as a last-ditch effort to stop Republicans who hold full control of the Texas government from pushing through a rare mid-decade redrawing of the congressional map at the direction of President Donald Trump.
Have they done it during Trump 2.0?
This is really insane. The president of the United States, is asking the state to redraw local districts to help keep (Republican) and his grip on power.
I think they were arrested last time. It was not this term. They were hiding out in Oklahoma or something like that.
iirc… 2003 or so, also a redistricting. first attempt at blocking the legislation was successful but a second one for a special session where only the numbers needed to deny a quorum left, was not–after a month or so one of them caved and went back to austin.