Texas Governor Vows to Oust Democrats Over Trump-Backed Redistricting Walkout
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday delivered a blunt warning to Democratic lawmakers who left the state to prevent a vote on a contentious redistricting bill. Abbott announced he would start attempting to oust absent lawmakers from office on Monday if they did not show up in time for the session.
The theatrical standoff is the result of the Texas Republican's bid to remake the state's congressional maps, a move supported by President Donald Trump, in order to create five new Republican-leaning seats before the 2026 midterm elections. The proposal has fueled national controversy, attracting Democratic governors and party leaders from other states into the fight.
A vote on the maps was set for Monday in the Texas House, but without a quorum, no proceedings can continue. To thwart the vote, more than 51 Democratic legislators fled Texas, heading to Illinois and New York. Their absence deprives the 150-member House of the necessary two-thirds presence.
“We will do whatever it takes. What that looks like, we don’t know,” said state Rep. Gene Wu, leader of the Texas House Democratic Caucus.
The Democrats were welcomed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who has emerged as a vocal Trump critic and possible 2028 presidential candidate. Pritzker had been in quiet talks with Texas Democrats for weeks, offering refuge and support if they opted to flee the state. He underscored the national stakes of the redistricting battle, stating, “This is not just rigging the system in Texas, it’s about rigging the system against the rights of all Americans for years to come.”
Governor Abbott, citing a 2021 legal opinion from Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, said he would treat the walkout as a possible forfeiture of office. He also suggested Democrats may have committed felonies by raising money to pay fines.
“This truancy ends now,” said Abbott.
In response, Texas House Democrats issued a terse statement: “Come and take it.”
Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows confirmed the chamber would meet as planned and threatened severe retribution if a quorum is not achieved. Paxton, for his part, posted on X that Democrats "should be found, arrested, and brought back."
In 2021, the Texas Supreme Court held that absent lawmakers could be forcibly brought back, although none were returned during the previous major walkout. Republicans since then have proposed regulations imposing $500 per-day fines on missing lawmakers.
The walkout has postponed not only the redistricting vote but also key bills dealing with flood relief and warning systems, coming after last month's devastating floods claimed at least 136 lives. Democrats had called on Republicans to approve the flood-related bills first before the redistricting.
Illinois Governor Pritzker is not the only one. California Governor Gavin Newsom also hosted solidarity events with Texas Democrats. Pritzker reportedly met with Texas Democratic Chair Kendall Scudder as early as June to make plans for a coordinated effort if the walkout happened.
Trump wants to prevent a repeat of his initial term, when Democrats took the House two years into his presidency. The new Texas map and other such efforts in other Republican-controlled states are all part of an ongoing effort to establish a long-lasting Republican majority in the U.S. House before 2026.
