On Monday, Texas Democrats prevented the state House from approving a new congressional map ordered by President Trump to boost Republicans’ chances in the 2026 midterms as his own influence weakens.
After dozens of Democrats fled the state, the Republican-led House couldn’t reach the required number of lawmakers to hold a vote. Governor Greg Abbott threatened to remove the missing Democrats from their seats, but Democrats say Abbott’s threats are just “smoke and mirrors” with no real legal power behind them.
Gov. Greg Abbott responded by ordering state troopers to track down the absent Democrats and issued civil arrest warrants for them. But since many Democrats are outside Texas, they are out of reach.
House Speaker Dustin Burrows warned, “If you continue to go down this road, there will be consequences,” including fines for those who skip sessions.
The fight is over a redistricting plan pushed by Trump to add five more GOP-friendly congressional seats in Texas. Republicans currently hold 25 of 38 seats, and this map would increase their advantage, helping Trump’s party keep control of the U.S. House.
Abbott openly admitted the plan is political. On Fox News, he said, “There is nothing illegal” about drawing districts to favor one party, calling it “gerrymandering” before correcting himself to say Texas is just “drawing lines.”
Democrats say Abbott’s threats are all “smoke and mirrors” with no real power to force them back. Rep. Jolanda Jones, speaking from New York where many Democrats fled, said, “Subpoenas from Texas don’t work in New York, so he can’t come and get us.”
Abbott called the Democrats’ absence a violation of their duties. “I believe they have forfeited their seats… They’re un-Texan,” he said. “Texans don’t run from a fight.”
Attorney General Ken Paxton, who supports Abbott, took a tougher stance, tweeting that Democrats who “try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back.”
Democrats are staying silent on how long they will stay away. Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer said, “We’re in this for the long haul.”
This is not the first time Texas Democrats have walked out. In 2021, they left for 38 days to block voting restrictions but Republicans eventually passed the law anyway.
Without a quorum, the House can’t pass bills, including critical disaster aid after recent deadly floods. Abbott tried to blame Democrats for delaying flood relief because of the walkout.
Outside Texas, Democratic governors like New York’s Kathy Hochul and Illinois’ JB Pritzker have voiced support for the Texans. Hochul said, “If Republicans are willing to rewrite rules to give themselves an advantage, then they’re leaving us with no choice: We must do the same. You have to fight fire with fire.”
The Texas House plans to meet again Tuesday afternoon, but with Democrats still missing, the stalemate looks set to continue.
