Democrats in Texas conclude walkout, enabling the passage of redrawn district map
Texas Democrats Return from Walkout Amidst Redistricting Battle
In a dramatic turn of events, Texas Democrats have ended a two-week walkout that began in an attempt to prevent a vote on a redrawn congressional map during the 2025 redistricting battle. The Democrats' charter jet landed just over an hour before the Texas House was set to convene, but not all Democratic lawmakers immediately returned to the floor.
During the walkout, 29 members were recorded as absent, with Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, refusing to sign the permission slip and remaining on the floor of the Texas House. Jolanda Jones, D-Houston, stated her intention to stay away for weeks or even months to prevent the redistricting that would affect her district in Houston in 2026. Ann Johnson, a former Houston prosecutor, also objected to being followed home by a state police officer and left the floor after some time.
The extraordinary interstate fight over redistricting has expanded into a national political brawl between red and blue states, with several Republican states weighing redistrictings of their own. California state lawmakers, for instance, have introduced legislation to redraw their state's congressional map to be more favorable to Democrats, a move that could potentially flip five U.S. House seats held by Democrats.
The new congressional map, if passed, is expected to help Republicans keep control of the U.S. House after the 2026 midterms, but it is facing criticism from Democrats who argue it illegally disempowers Black and Hispanic voters in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
Governor Abbott has described the Democrats' absence as a deliberate dereliction of duty and warned of potential felony violations and removal from office for those fleeing during special sessions, emphasizing that legislators have a constitutional duty to meet. The Texas House Speaker has signed civil arrest warrants for the absent legislators to compel their attendance, but actual arrests have not occurred due to jurisdictional limitations.
Democrats face $500-a-day fines under new House rules designed to discourage quorum breaks, but Democratic donors have been fundraising to pay these fines, potentially minimizing the financial impact on the lawmakers. Legal challenges from the Democrats argue that these penalties violate their civil liberties, and ongoing court actions could delay or undermine enforcement.
The House sergeant-at-arms closed the gallery to the public and news media as Collier remained inside the Capitol. After the first special session expired on Friday, Abbott immediately called another one to continue the redistricting efforts. The Democrats' walkout and the subsequent fight over redistricting have caused fissures among the Democratic lawmakers, with some arguing for a much longer walkout and others countering that they cannot stay away forever.
Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, stated that Collier cannot leave the Capitol because she has not signed the permission slip. With the Democrats' return, 120 total members were marked present, ensuring a quorum and allowing Republicans to pass the redrawn congressional map.
[1] Texas Tribune [2] The New York Times [3] CNN [4] Politico
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