Texas Democratic Lawmakers Flee State To Thwart Republican Redistricting Effort
Photo by Reginald Mathalone/NurPhoto via AP
Democratic lawmakers in Texas have fled the state to prevent a vote on a redistricting bill that would greatly benefit Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives.
On Sunday, Politico reported that dozens of Democrats planned to flee during a special session in “a last-ditch effort to disrupt a mid-decade redistricting attempt forced by President Donald Trump, according to two people briefed on the matter.”
Democrats are aiming to deprive the Republican-controlled legislature of a quorum as the GOP attempts a rare mid-decade redistricting, which would create five districts favorable to Republican candidates.
“We’re leaving Texas to fight for Texans,” Rep. Gene Wu, the Texas House Democratic Caucus chair, said in a statement. “We will not allow disaster relief to be held hostage to a Trump gerrymander. We’re not walking out on our responsibilities; we’re walking out on a rigged system that refuses to listen to the people we represent. As of today, this corrupt special session is over.”
Politico noted last month:
The redraw would significantly benefit Republicans by making districts held by Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, who both represent heavily-Latino areas of the Rio Grande Valley, redder, and make some Democratic-controlled districts even bluer in an attempt to create GOP-leaning districts elsewhere. The proposed map would also put a number of Republican and Democratic incumbents in the same district.
It only sets up one primary matchup between Democratic Reps. Greg Casar and Lloyd Doggett, avoiding any messy GOP primary fights between incumbents.
Trump carried the five newly proposed districts by double digits.
The Democrats are set to leave Texas for Illinois, where last month Governor JB Pritzker directed his staff to provide logistical support in the event they decided to leave the Lone Star State.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has said that if Texas Republicans move forward with their plan, he would lead a redistricting effort in his state that would knock several Republicans out of Congress.
“There are *currently* 9 Republicans in the California Congressional Delegation,” Newsom said last month. “Just thought folks might like to know that fun fact.”
