Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Monday that state Democratic leaders be brought back to Austin after they left the state in order to prevent a vote on the Republican plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts and give an edge to the GOP lawmakers in the US House of Representatives for the mid term elections in 2026.
The exodus by the Democratic lawmakers of the Texas legislature was intended to deny the necessary quorum required to hold the vote. The 150-member Texas House requires at least two-thirds of the members to be present so that the voting can take place. But about 51 Democratic lawmakers left the state for Chicago, denying GOP the quorum required for the voting.
The Texas Republicans’ redistricting plan has been supported by President Donald Trump and it aims to protect the party’s narrow majority in the House of Representatives during next year’s mid term elections.
Directed the Texas Rangers to investigate fleeing House Democrats for potential violations of Texas law.
Any Democrat who solicited or accepted funds to break quorum may have violated bribery laws.
Texas Rangers must quickly send any findings to the appropriate prosecutors. pic.twitter.com/3fW4MB4oM9
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 4, 2025
During the session on Monday, the Republican speaker of the Texas Legislature issued civil warrants for the Democratic lawmakers to be brought back to Austin, most of whom have gone to Illinois, New York or Massachusetts. However, the order by the speaker of Texas House applies within the state limit and breaking of quorum isn’t considered a crime.
People protest the Republican plan for Congressional redistricting at the Governor’s Mansion, in Austin, Texas. (AP)
In a statement, Texas Governor Abbott said “To ensure compliance, I ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans.”
Abbott, on Sunday, quoted an opinion by the state’s attorney general who said that district courts may determine whether legislators have forfeited their offices “due to abandonment.” Abbott added that it could empower him to “swiftly fill vacancies.”
Responding to the warrants and arrest move, Texas Democrats said they were undeterred by the move and that officials will have difficulty arresting them since most are in suburban Chicago which is beyond the jurisdiction of Texas authorities.
