Texas Democrats flee to the suburbs to block GOP-backed redistricting

Posted August 03, 2025 3:58 pm

Texas state Rep. Jolanda “Jo” Jones, a Democrat from Houston, looks through U.S. Congressional District maps during a redistricting hearing at the Texas Capitol last week. Some Texas Democrats traveled to the Chicago area Sunday as part of a walkout to block the redistricting plan. AP

Democratic Texas state lawmakers fled Austin for the Chicago suburbs Sunday to block a controversial redistricting plan that likely would hand Republicans more seats in Congress.

The walkout, Democrats say, will prevent the Texas House from having the quorum needed to pass the Republican proposal that could flip as many as five of the state’s 38 U.S. House seats to the GOP.

Members of the Texas House Democratic Caucus and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker are scheduled to discuss the walkout during a press conference this evening at the Democratic Party of DuPage County offices in Carol Stream.

“This extraordinary action comes after (Texas Gov. Greg) Abbott and Republican leaders in the Texas Legislature refused to prioritize disaster relief for the victims of Texas’ deadly floods, instead using the tragedy as political cover to push through a racially-gerrymandered congressional map,” Democratic officials said in news release Sunday.

“After two weeks of stonewalling and sham hearings, Democrats were left with no other option than to take this necessary step to protect Texas voters and all Americans,” the release states.

Urged by President Donald Trump as a means to maintain the Republican majority in the U.S. House, the proposed redistricting in Texas has led states with Democratic majorities — including California, New York and Illinois — to threaten similar action to even the scales.

Texas state Rep. Carl H. Tepper, a Republican from Lubbock, looks through U.S. Congressional District maps during a redistricting hearing at the Texas Capitol in Austin last week. AP

The walkout is not without risk for the Texas Democrats. Lawmakers can be fined up to $500 a day for breaking a quorum, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has threatened to arrest representatives who leave the state to block a vote.

“Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately,” Paxton posted Sunday afternoon on X. “We should use every tool at our disposal to hunt down those who think they are above the law.”

Republican Speaker Dustin Burrows said the Texas House would meet Monday afternoon as planned.

“If a quorum is not present then, to borrow the recent talking points from some of my Democrat colleagues, all options will be on the table. . .,” he posted on X.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is pushing a redistricting plan in his state’s legislature that likely would secure more seats in the U.S. House for Republicans. AP

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