According to statement from two knowledgeable sources, two dozen Texas Democrats are planning to leave the state before a special session on Sunday, aiming to thwart a mid-decade redistricting scheme instigated by Donald Trump. It is the second time this group of Democrats has attempted to break quorum — the state House’s minimum working number of lawmakers — since 2021.
This new attempt comes alongside the frantic moves the Texas Republicans are making in order to counter the redistricting aggression aimed at Texas, which seeks to add five new Republican seats in the state to cement their control in the House during the elections next year.
Greg Abbott, the Republican Texas Governor, openly stated that he would have fleeing lawmakers arrested as soon as they set foot back in the state.
Without a doubt, the actions of Texas Democrats will likely instigate a bidding war in the redistricting process, which will alter the map for the 2026 midterm elections.
For the past couple of weeks, lawmakers from Texas have struggled to come to a conclusion on their counter-strategy to the Republicans. Some lawmakers are completely against a walkout strategy, while others are ready to accept that risk, whether legal or political.
“Breaking quorum is an extreme step. It should be a last resort,” said State Rep. James Talarico in an interview with POLITICO last Tuesday. He is one of the 50 Democratic lawmakers who fled the state in 2021 due to an election bill.
Reports state that democrats are said to be headed to Illinois, which is a blue state governed by a man who openly accuses Texas republicans of carrying out cheating plans through redistricting in anticipation of the 2026 elections.
They are expected to land in Illinois on Sunday, and that is expected to trigger a showdown with Abbott over the high-stakes redistricting conflict.
The move to block quorum comes after Texas Republicans passed a new congressional map, which is designed to create five red-leaning districts designed to bolster the GOP’s chances of holding onto the House post the 2026 elections. For the Democrats, it is imperative to gain fewer than a handful of seats to retake the lower chamber after losing control last year in Washington.
Republicans have ingeniously linked the redistricting strategy to providing financial aid to families impacted by last month’s floods, which claimed over 120 lives. The anger of the Democrats has been sparked by the move to attempt to block the special session of the legislature. Source
