Texas Democrats have once again fled the state in an attempt to block Republican redistricting efforts, with dozens reportedly traveling to Illinois on Sunday to break quorum and stall a special legislative session.
The session, backed by President Donald Trump and Texas GOP leaders, was set to approve a new congressional map that would create five additional Republican-friendly seats ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Second Quorum-Breaking Stunt in Four Years
The move mirrors a similar stunt in 2021, when Texas Democrats abandoned their duties to obstruct GOP-backed election reforms. Now, once again, Democrats are attempting to halt the legislative process by making sure the Texas House doesn’t have enough members present to conduct business.
“My Democratic colleagues and I just left the state of Texas to break quorum and stop Trump’s redistricting power grab,” Rep. James Talarico said in a video posted to X.
“Trump is trying to rig the midterm elections right before our eyes. But first he’ll have to come through us.”
GOP Responds: Arrest Them
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wasted no time responding, calling the fleeing lawmakers “cowards” and demanding they be found, arrested, and returned to the Capitol.
“Democrats in the Texas House who try and run away like cowards should be found, arrested, and brought back to the Capitol immediately,” Paxton wrote on X.
“We should use every tool at our disposal to hunt down those who think they are above the law.”
Redistricting Could Shift 2026 Midterm Map
The new congressional map, supported by Trump and Texas GOP leadership, is designed to counterbalance Democrat gerrymandering in blue states. According to Politico, the Texas map would likely flip five seats red, solidifying Republican control in the next Congress.
Democrats and left-leaning media outlets are already warning that the move could spark a nationwide “arms race” in redistricting, but Republicans argue the new map reflects constitutional authority granted to state legislatures — especially after Democrat-controlled states like California, New York, and Illinois redrew lines to entrench Democrat power.
