Texas Dems Flee Austin to Stop Redistricting

Texas Republicans are weighing legal consequences for Democrats who have left Austin to stymie efforts to redraw the Lonestar State’s congressional districts.

Ahead of the Texas House of Representative’s consideration of a newly-drawn congressional map which would favor Republicans, Democrats have fled the state in order to break quorum—the number of representatives required to be present for debate to proceed.

“This extraordinary step of a quorum break is so that your voices can be heard,” said Democrat state Rep. Anna Johnson in a video posted to X as she left the state. “If they’re not going to be heard here in Texas, then we are breaking quorum to go to the nation and say this is it—you must stop Trump’s takeover.”

Texas House Republicans’ redistricting plans could flip nearly a half dozen Democrat-held seats, an effort President Donald Trump supports.

But Texas Republicans are making clear they view this Democrat exodus as a grave violation of legislative rules, since fleeing the state to break quorum is strongly discouraged under House rules and incurs legal penalties.

“I support the immediate arrest of these rogue lawmakers who’ve fled their duties,” wrote Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running in the Republican Senate primary against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. 

“These radical Democrats are spitting in the face of every Texan they swore to represent. This is cowardice and dereliction of duty, and they should face the full force of the law without apology,” he added.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott similarly warned Texas Democrats of legal consequences for the quorum break if they did not show up in Austin on Monday—including stripping them of their positions.

“The derelict Democrat House members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the House reconvenes,” he wrote in a statement. “For any member who fails to do so, I will invoke Texas Attorney General Opinion No. KP-0382 to remove the missing Democrats from membership in the Texas House.”

Abbott also warned that if Democrats accept money to make up for fines they may face for abandoning the state House, they will be prosecuted. Under House rules, lawmakers face $500 daily fines for abandoning their offices.

“In addition to abandoning their offices, these legislators may also have committed felonies,” wrote Abbott. “Any Democrat who ‘solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept’ such funds to assist in the violation of legislative duties or for purposes of skipping a vote may have violated bribery laws.”

But as Republicans demand their presence, Democrats are heading to northern blue enclaves.

A number of Texas Democrats are heading to Illinois and New York, where the Democrat governors have welcomed them with open arms.

“I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that they’re welcome here, that they have the ability to stay as long as they need to and want to,” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said at a press conference Sunday. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York met with the Texas Democrats Monday morning in the state capitol of Albany.

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