Texas Democrats Break Quorum to Block GOP Redistricting Plan

Texas House Democrats have broken quorum for the third consecutive session, preventing a vote on a Republican-led redistricting proposal that would redraw congressional maps mid-decade. The Texas House requires 100 members present to conduct business, but only 95 lawmakers attended Friday's session as most Democratic representatives left the state. The proposed redistricting plan would potentially shift five congressional seats from Democratic to Republican control ahead of future elections.

Texas Republican officials have responded with multiple legal actions to compel the absent lawmakers to return. Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an emergency lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court seeking to remove 13 House Democrats from office, while Governor Abbott filed a separate petition targeting House Democratic Caucus Chairman Gene Wu. Speaker Dustin Burrows has signed civil arrest warrants for the absent Democrats and requested assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety to locate lawmakers who may still be in the state.

The absent Democratic legislators have traveled to several states with Democratic governors, including Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and California. According to statements from Democratic representatives, they are seeking support from these states to potentially adjust their own congressional maps to counterbalance the Texas proposal. Representative Chris Turner characterized their actions as fulfilling legislative duties by exercising their right to break quorum to prevent consideration of what they describe as a discriminatory redistricting map.

The proposed redistricting would significantly alter the congressional landscape in Texas, where Republicans currently hold 25 seats and Democrats hold 13. The new map would reconfigure districts in ways that could shift five Democratic-held seats to Republican control, including changes to districts in North Texas, South Texas, Houston, and Austin. Representative Julie Johnson, whose 32nd Congressional District would be substantially redrawn, expressed opposition to the redistricting effort, while Representative Marc Veasey noted the proposed changes would move his district entirely into Dallas County from its current position spanning both Dallas and Tarrant Counties.

The standoff has expanded beyond the legislature, with additional legal actions targeting organizations supporting the absent Democrats. Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit against former Congressman Beto O'Rourke and his organization Powered by People, alleging illegal fundraising to support the Democrats' quorum break. A temporary restraining order was issued against O'Rourke and his organization by a Tarrant County court. The Speaker has also implemented procedural measures, including requiring in-person paycheck collection for absent lawmakers until they return to the Capitol.