From Fox News: Texas Democrats are preparing to flee the state to prevent Republicans from passing a key redistricting plan that threatens Democrats’ ability to retake the House of Representatives in 2026.
The strategy of Texas Democrats is to prevent Republicans from having the necessary quorum of lawmakers to pass a redistricting plan. Taking such drastic measures would come at a cost, however, as state rules impose a $500 fine for each day a lawmaker absconds from the legislature. Nevertheless, lawmakers in the state are already shoring up funds to cover that expense, according to the Texas Tribune.
Texas Republicans imposed the $500-a-day fine in 2023, two years after their Democratic counterparts first left the state en masse in an unsuccessful effort to foil GOP priorities.
One more roadblock Democrats face with their plan this year is that Texas House rules ban lawmakers from using campaign funds to pay the fines. Despite this, Democrats clued into the fundraising plans told the Tribune that they are confident they have found a way to legally distribute fundraising to lawmakers.
Two weeks ago, Texas state Attorney General Ken Paxton fired off a warning, releasing the following statement:
“If Democrats ignore their duty to their constituents by breaking quorum, they should be found and arrested no matter where they go. The people of Texas elected them to do a job, not run away and hide like cowards. Lawmakers must answer the special session call and pass the important priorities that the Governor has put forward.
“My office stands ready to assist local, state, and federal authorities in hunting down and compelling the attendance of anyone who abandons their office and their constituents for cheap political theater.”
If Democrats ignore their duty to their constituents by breaking quorum, they should be found and arrested no matter where they go. The people of Texas elected them to do a job, not run away and hide like cowards. Lawmakers must answer the special session call and pass the… https://t.co/sxLvZCIOB1
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) July 15, 2025
Democrat State Rep. James Talarico wildly claimed, “The president is trying to rig the next election. That’s what’s happening here.”
Talarico is reportedly planing to meet with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries in Texas on Wednesday.
“The president is trying to rig the next election. That’s what’s happening here,” Texas State Representative @jamestalarico tells @mkraju as Texas Republicans attempt to redraw the political map to gain GOP seats in Congress. pic.twitter.com/TOSlaWuXkC
— Inside Politics (@InsidePolitics) July 29, 2025
🚨BREAKING: Texas could gain 5 Republican seats in the U.S. House in 2026 if the new congressional map is approved.
Democrats would lose 5. Big. pic.twitter.com/y4tEbCdFfj
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 30, 2025
Texas House Democrats are fundraising to potentially leave the state to block GOP-backed redistricting https://t.co/kOyJ9jAyd0
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) July 29, 2025
Texas Democrats preparing state exodus to block GOP redistricting despite $500 daily fines https://t.co/Zxd8ZnFYSC
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 30, 2025
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