From NBC News: Hochul made multiple references to war during her press conference alongside Texas Democratic lawmakers, rhetoric apparently intended to emphasize the urgency of her response to the redistricting fight in Texas.
“Here in New York, we will not stand on the sidelines with the timid souls on the sidelines who don’t care, will not invest their heart and soul into this battle,” Hochul said. “This is a war. We are at war, and that’s why the gloves are off, and I say, bring it on.”
Later, the governor said that democracy was “under siege.”
“For centuries we’ve stood up and fought,” she added. “Blood has been shed. This is our moment in 2025 to stand up for all that we hold dear and not let it be destroyed by a bunch of renegades in a place called Texas.”
Texas state Rep. Mihaela Plesa supported the dramatic rhetoric from Hochul, saying, “This is a war. We are building a coalition.”
Plesa and other Texas lawmakers are in New York in order to prevent Republicans from advancing with a new congressional redistricting map. Plesa said “not all of us” plan to stay there, noting that her colleagues are talking with other governors.
“We’re continuing to bring coalitions into the fold, and educating people as to what’s happening and letting them know that the rules have changed,” she said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, strongly criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott after he threatened to remove Democratic state lawmakers from office.
“The Texas governor is a cowardly, fake bully. He was ordered by Donald Trump to convene a special session of the legislature in order to gerrymander the Texas congressional map and try to rig the midterm elections,” Jeffries said.
According to Jeffries, Democrats are prepared to respond “forcefully, aggressively and relentlessly” to the GOP effort to impose a new congressional map that could add as many as five Republican seats.
READ MORE AT NBC News.
